We Can Make It If We Try
by AmphibianQueen
Summary: Rose and Tripp are sixteen years old and have just left Chicory, their home town. On their journey they befriend an eccentric Pokémon Professor (who has a life-changing proposition for them), battle high and unwelcome emotions, and attempt to unveil the ancient secret of the Dragon Tamers. OC and OC Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

The amber sun rose over the Region of Sesame, warming its vast forests and lengthy beaches and highlighting the snow-capped peak of Dill Rook. Far to the South of Dill Rook lay a little town named Chicory; its inhabitants few, the nearest city a good hour away. Chicory was so insignificant, so rarely visited, that it was not considered to need a Pokémon Centre. In a small cottage near Chicory Forest lived Nurse Hope and her daughter Rose. Nurse Hope ran a herbal medicine shop; her potions were disliked by the majority of Pokémon, but they healed where the popular medicines failed.

As the rays of sun illuminated the windows of Chicory Manor on the hill, a young boy started from the house, through the quaint village, before arriving at the small cottage by the forest.

The boy knocked on the door rather harder than he had intended to, but he was so excited he couldn't seem to control himself. The door opened after a few minutes of his impatient waiting, and a young girl with dark curly hair stood in the doorway, a green bottle in one hand.

"Tripp! What're you doing here? It's six in the morning!"

Tripp walked into her cottage and kicked off his shoes - he was comfortable here.

"I've got something to show you!" he said, turning around to find that his friend was no longer there. He proceeded to the upstairs medical room where he knew he'd be sure to find her. A woman was bustling around the room, picking up various bottles and strings of dried herbs, whilst a very sick-looking Doduo lay on her medical examination table. The woman looked tired, dark circles under her eyes, but she smiled as she saw the tall boy in the doorway.

"Oh, morning Tripp, help yourself to anything – Rose, can you pass me the Thyme please?"

The dark curly haired girl – Rose – handed her mother the bunch of dried herbs, and both females sighed in relief when, after being administered the herbs, the Doduo gave a cough, and its eyes opened blearily.

"Thank goodness!" Nurse Hope exclaimed, wiping a hand over her perspiring forehead "That was quite easily the most deadly Weedle sting I've ever had to deal with!" she said, before falling heavily backwards into a chair.

"Weedle?" repeated Tripp with a laugh "what's so dangerous about a Weedle?"

Nurse Hope and her daughter exchanged a dark look.

"The higher level Weedle reaches without permitting itself to evolve, the more deadly its sting" Rose told him knowledgeably; being the daughter of a nurse, at sixteen she already knew a great deal about Pokémon.

"Wow!" Tripp said sheepishly, "I didn't realise Weedle could be so cool!"

"Nobody seems to," Nurse Hope replied, "it's all about Beedrill with teenagers! And Tripp – do me a favour and tell the young man sat in the living room that his Doduo is recovering, I daresay he'll be happy to hear it!"

Half an hour later, the three were sitting down to a cup of tea, when Tripp remembered; he couldn't believe he had forgotten.

"Rose!" he yelled, causing her to spill her tea in her lap, "I meant to show you!"

"Show me what?" she asked snappily, she did after all have scalded legs.

"My father came back from Cerulean City last night, you know, just checking up on his Pokémarts and stuff, and he brought me something back!"

Rose surveyed Tripp closely. His family were very wealthy, having founded the Pokémart, but his blue eyes were sparkling in a way she had never witnessed before. Her own brown eyes widened considerably as he took a Pokéball from his belt and enlarged it. Even Nurse Hope began to pay attention at this point – she was used to seeing Tripp's merchandise from other Regions, but this was different, and very exciting too.

"No way" Rose breathed, "you got your first Pokémon?"

Tripp grinned before throwing the Pokéball, and in a flash of white light, his first Pokémon appeared.

"Psyduck" it squawked.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Rose and her mother at the same time.

"Where did your father find a Psyduck, Tripp?" Nurse Hope asked frowning; the species had been on the brink of extinction due to a rather nasty oil slick many years before.

"Well, my mother loves water type Pokémon - if you remember, and she set up the Psyduck conservation centre in Cerulean. This is the first egg to have hatched from the two rescued Psyduck, but there're a whole bunch more!"

"That's very impressive" Nurse Hope smiled; "I haven't seen a Psyduck in at least eight years!"

"I've never seen one!" Rose said, laughing as Psyduck walked into the table repeatedly, "why has he got his eyes closed?"

"It's Psyduck's chronic headache" Nurse Hope answered, "It's a very common occurrence, especially in a young one."

Tripp looked horrified, "You mean he's always going to walk into stuff?"

Nurse Hope laughed, "No, no, luckily for the poor thing he'll grow out of it once he evolves"

This comment caused Tripp to remember the second part of his visit, he looked to his friend hopefully.

"Rose?" he asked tentatively.

"Hmm?" she answered; she was still preoccupied with Psyduck, who was now repeatedly bumping into her knees.

"Will you help me train him?" he asked, before casting a wary glance at her mother, "that is uh – you know…if you don't need her help and everything"

Nurse Hope laughed once more "Tripp, you don't need my permission! Of course she can help you!"

Rose herself looked surprised, "I can?"

Her mother rolled her eyes, "Just to prove how serious I am, you can go now - go on – scram!" she said fondly to the two teenagers, who in their shock, left the table as though in a trance.

-o-

As they walked through Chicory town towards the forest, the teenagers were deep in conversation.

"I mean, I'm sixteen!" Tripp was saying, "and I'm seventeen next month, most kids get their first Pokémon at ten or twelve at the latest"

"That is true" Rose pondered, as she watched a Taillow fly over the forest, "haven't you always wanted to be a Pokémon trainer? Why did your parents leave it so late?"

Tripp frowned slightly, looking to the ground.

"I think it's my mum, you know what she's like, I'm her only child, I think she's a bit funny about letting me leave…"

"Yeah," Rose replied, now looking over to Tripp's Manor on the hill, "but you have to start somewhere, and now you can!"

Tripp smiled as this fact did indeed register with him.

"You're right!" he laughed, "I'm sure my mum just needs to get used to the idea, I mean, she was a trainer herself! She was in the Elite Four!"

Rose laughed with him, "I always forget that, you'd never look at your mum and think she used to travel with Pokémon, she's such a socialite now!"

"Yeah, she gave it up when she married my dad; you know when she was in the Elite Four, he used to always challenge her and never win? He was pretty good at Pokémon my dad, but I think he gave it up when he married my mum because she was so much better than him he was embarrassed!"

The teenagers burst into unrestrained laughter, which silenced immediately upon their entering the forest. It was eerily quiet.

"Never much liked this place" Tripp said nervously.

"Don't be silly!" Rose giggled, she frequently visited the forest in order to collect toadstools for her mother; she had, however, never ventured so far in so as to meet a wild Pokémon, and was herself starting to feel apprehensive.

"Let's just hope we don't meet a macho Weedle" she attempted to joke, but upon seeing Tripp's face grow white, she kept quiet.

They walked in silence for a while, their eyes darting restlessly. Rose grabbed Tripp's arm, causing him to yell out in fight.

"Shh" she whispered and pointed to a nearby Pecha berry bush; it was rustling slightly. Tripp gulped and took a step back, but sighed in relief as a Pichu gingerly made its way out of the bush, berry in hand.

They stood watching the Pichu eat its berry, it hadn't appeared to notice them.

"Well?" Rose asked her friend in amusement.

"Well what?" Tripp whispered, not taking his eyes off the wild Pokémon.

"Aren't we here to train?" she whispered mischievously, her brown eyes dancing in the murky light through the leaf canopy.

"Oh, yeah!" Tripp exclaimed, startling the Pichu, who looked up at them from its berry.

"Go! Psyduck!" Tripp shouted. Rose blinked; nothing had happened. Pichu too blinked, and looked questioningly at the two.

"Whoops," Tripp scratched his head in embarrassment, "I er, need to throw the Pokéball don't I...?"

Rose shook her head in exasperation, but laughed all the same.

Twenty minutes later, and the battle was still underway. Rose was surprised; she didn't have a Pokémon herself, but didn't think first battles were supposed to last so long. Psyduck, however, was proving to be the stronger, and Pichu was weakening.

"That's great!" Rose shouted "Stop, any more and it'll – TRIPP NO!" she screamed. But he had already ordered Psyduck to use its third water gun in a row, and Pichu was down, unconscious.

Tripp turned white.

"You idiot!" Rose shouted, rushing over to where the Pichu lay, "you crossed the boundary! I told you to stop when I said so!"

She picked the Pichu up in her arms, it was barely breathing.

"I'm sorry," Tripp started "I didn't-"

"It doesn't matter" she snapped, "I have to go"

She ran out of the forest carrying the injured Pokémon, leaving Tripp to wander back home alone, miserably.

-o-

The midday sun beat down on her back as Rose ran through the village and kicked the door of her cottage open.

"Mum!" she shouted desperately, kicking her shoes off, "_mum_!"

As she ran into the kitchen, her blood ran cold; there was a note on the table. It wasn't the first time it had happened, but now really wasn't a good time.

_**Rose,**_

_**I've gone to Fennel City - It's an urgent call, Elliot's Buizel is seriously injured. I doubt I'll be back before nightfall, there're some noodles in the fridge for dinner, don't wait up for me!**_

_**Mum x**_

Rose choked back her tears with difficulty, nothing could be done. The nearest Pokémon centre was_in_ Fennel City – the Buizel must have been in a bad way to require her mother's care…not unlike this Pichu.

Rose swallowed and looked down at the little injured creature in her arms before making up her mind in a split second.

-o-

Over an hour later, she flopped into the chair in the medical room. She wouldn't be sure for a while if she had succeeded, but Pichu's breathing had steadied…for the moment. As she looked towards the little bandaged Pokémon lying on the examination table, she felt her eyes begin to droop with fatigue…

As Tripp reached his house, he opened the colossal front door and made his way into the expansive hallway. Neither of his parents were home, both leading rather busy lifestyles, so he went up the spiral staircase to his bedroom, and lay back on his king-sized bed. Psyduck was wandering around his bedroom tentatively sniffing things. Tripp smiled as he realised that he finally had his own Pokémon; he bit his lip guiltily however when he remembered the Pichu, and wished more than anything that he had listened to Rose when she told him to stop – he just got carried away. He wasn't a Pokémon abuser was he? Not like that Team Rocket from years ago, who forced and tortured Pokémon into doing horrific things for them? He shuddered, he didn't want to become that, and was going to prove it.

-o-

Rose awoke with a start; she looked over at the Pichu, and to her relief saw him sitting up himself, before opening his little mouth and yawning. When he saw her, he began to jump up and down excitedly, before falling back from exhaustion.

"Oh, you poor thing" Rose smiled, handing the little Pokémon an Oran berry, "this should make you feel better"

The Pichu took the berry from her, and began to tuck in happily. Rose watched him for a while, before hearing a rather loud knock at the door; she realised that it was this that had woken her in the first place.

She wasn't surprised to see Tripp standing there, his dark hair plastered to his head from the rain. He walked inside without a word, and looked at her, his eyes melancholy. Rose realised she was no longer angry with him now that the Pichu was okay, he hadn't meant it after all.

"Did-" His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat before trying again.

"Is Pichu all right? Did your mum manage to fix him up okay?" he kept his blue eyes glued to the wooden floor. Rose looked at him levelly.

"She wasn't in" she said, her chin held high in defiance. True, she wasn't angry, but she wanted Tripp to know that what he did wasn't right, or in any way acceptable. However, when she saw the despair in his eyes when he registered this fact, she couldn't help but end his evident misery.

"It's all right though, I healed him" she smiled.

Tripp laughed shakily in relief, "You did?" he cried happily, but then his eyes widened as he looked at her.

"By yourself?" the Pichu had looked pretty worse for wear. Rose shrugged nonchalantly.

"Lucky I know my stuff huh?" she said, sitting down on the sofa.

Uncharacteristically of him, Tripp stayed standing. "Rose, I-I'm sorry, I know-"

She stood abruptly, silencing him, her face was passive, but her brown eyes were light.

"Tripp, it was an accident. You've never battled before" she smiled warmly at him, and he sunk to the sofa, face in hands.

"I-I was so worried! I thought I'd killed the little guy! I started to think I was like Team-" he stopped himself, and flushed slightly.

"Go on," Rose grinned.

"Nothing" Tripp mumbled, his flush growing more pronounced.

Fortunately for him, Pichu, fully recovered, bounded into the living room, and jumped from the sofa onto Rose's shoulder. She laughed merrily.

"I see someone's recovered!" she smiled, tapping Pichu's little nose as he squeaked in pleasure.

"You coming?" she asked Tripp, who had reclined on the sofa in relief.

"Coming?" he repeated, baffled, "where?"

"Chicory Forest!" Rose said, "I have to return this little guy where we found him!"

Tripp frowned slightly, but said nothing as he followed his friend out of the cottage, Pichu squeaking happily on her shoulder.

-o-

"Rose?" Tripp asked, as they entered the forest. She looked to him expectantly; he had been rather quiet on their walk.

"Well, this Pichu…he seems to like you…couldn't you, well, you know?"

"Spit it out" she told him, smiling curiously at her friend.

"Couldn't you keep him? You know, as your own?"

It was Rose's turn to frown, she watched Pichu scramble up an oak tree and swing from a branch, before landing lightly onto the mossy ground, and wiggling himself into a bush.

"He's wild Tripp" she said, but he could see the sadness in her eyes, "and I'm a nurse! I don't have time for my own Pokémon, I have to help mum"

"So that's what you want to do?" Tripp asked, his gaze set as he stared at the bush Pichu had disappeared into, "nursing?"

"Well," Rose said, "I enjoy it, and I've always been helping mum, I feel like it's my calling, you know? What's the matter?" she asked, concerned; his blue eyes had hardened considerably, and he sighed quietly before answering.

"I have a Pokémon now, I…I have to go on a journey, I mean, I need to go and train! I need to get strong, if I have any chance of becoming the Champion…"

Rose snapped her head in his direction; she didn't know he was so serious about his Pokémon career.

"And being here isn't going to help me and Psyduck" he continued, "there's nothing here…" he looked to her pointedly, "well, except…"

She looked at him, her brown eyes narrowed in confusion, "Except for what?"

"You" he said bluntly. Rose was taken aback; she had never heard him speak in such a serious manner. He noticed her eyes widen, and regretted what he said.

"I-I don't mean it like that!" he exclaimed, flushing.

"I know!" Rose replied, masking her sudden disappointment with indifference.

"Of course I don't!" Tripp laughed, "You're like a sister to me!" His blasé attitude covered up his embarrassment. If they hadn't avoided each other's eyes, Rose would have realised how red Tripp was, and he how shocked she looked.

"What did you mean then?" Rose asked, attempting a smile.

"Neither of us have siblings, we've practically grown up together" he said truthfully, "I just assumed we'd go on a Pokémon journey together when the time came"

They had left the forest, and at this point in their conversation, they had nearly reached Tripp's Manor House. He held the door open for her as he waited for her answer. She was silent until she reached the kitchen.

"Tripp…Pokémon training, it's not for me" she saw the light fade from his bright eyes, and felt guilty, "I mean, it's not as though I could anyway, my mum needs all the help she can get! And I enjoy nursing, I do!"

"But, what about your dad?" Tripp asked in a rush, and regretted it almost instantly. They had never discussed Rose's father, who had left home when she was only five to pursue his own Pokémon dreams.

"What about him?" Rose asked. Her voice was calm, but her face had drained of all colour.

"N-nothing" Tripp mumbled, "forget it"

"I'm not made of glass" Rose smiled, "I honestly don't know though Tripp. If you're trying to imply that Pokémon training runs in my genes, I couldn't answer you. We haven't heard hide nor hair of my father since he left – he could be dead for all we know". Her voice was once again calm, but Tripp knew her better than that, and took her face in his hands, much to her shock.

"I'm sorry" he said looking into her eyes earnestly. She didn't know what to do, and so nodded in response. He let go of her face, and the two looked away from one another, highly embarrassed and very confused as to what had happened.

"I'd better be getting-"

"Do you want me to take you-?"

They spoke at the same time, and flushed again.

"Do you want me to take you home?" Tripp tried again.

Rose smiled, and his breath caught as she raised her eyes to his, her dark hair tumbling past her shoulders.

"Yes please" she smiled, and his heart beat in his chest hopefully.

**Author's Note:**

**So this is how it begins! I'd love to hear your thoughts **

**Love A x**


	2. Chapter 2

The walk back to Rose's cottage was silent, but it was a comfortable silence, neither feeling the need to break it. Once they reached the front door, Tripp spoke.

"Rose, think about what I said…I think you'd enjoy it, you're such a natural at Pokémon training and we always have such fun-" she put her finger to his lips to silence him, before smiling.

"We'll discuss it tomorrow" she said, "thanks for walking me home" Tripp nodded, feeling very confused with the turn their relationship had seemed to take.

"Tomorrow" he repeated, before she closed the door, and he made his solitary way back home.

Rose shook her head slightly as she entered her dark house, her mother wasn't yet home. She was feeling confused, she had never thought that Tripp might think of her in that way…she shook her head again. But he denied it? Didn't he? Then why did he take her face in his hands? She frowned, even more confused. There was no good in thinking about it anyway, she told herself practically; he wanted to go off exploring with Pokémon, she didn't, she wanted to become a Nurse.

Or did she? Tripp had awakened new feelings in her, forcing her to think of the father who had hurt her, whom she had tried so hard to forget…Did she want to become a Nurse? Was there more out there for her? She didn't know anymore, and felt lost.

A high pitched squeak brought her out of her reverie. She froze on the spot, listening hard, but there was no other sound. Shrugging she made her way upstairs to her bedroom; she had no appetite.

When Tripp arrived home, he sat down on his bed and ran his hands through his dark hair. The conversation hadn't worked out as he expected. He'd always assumed they'd go on a Pokémon journey together – it's what friends did! But tonight had surprised him; not only did he almost accidently reveal his unrequited feelings for her, but she had told him in so many words that she wasn't leaving Chicory Town, that she wasn't going to have a Pokémon of her own…

He let Psyduck out of its Pokéball.

"At least I'll have you with me Psyduck" he sighed, before shaking his head; talking to a Pokémon, he must be going mad.

"Psy?" Psyduck asked, cocking his head to one side.

"Ahh never mind," Tripp said, before lying back on his bed, head pounding. Psyduck looked at his trainer incredulously before curling up on the end of his bed.

-o-

Rose awoke abruptly in the night; that squeaking, she heard it again, and this time she was positive. She turned on her bedroom light - nothing. Frowning, she looked out of the window, and saw a flurry of movement on the ground – yellow movement. Half exasperated, half amused, she donned her dressing gown and made her way downstairs; her mother still wasn't home. Upon opening the front door, a tiny yellow being flew at her, squeaking with all its might and trying to lick her face with its tiny tongue.

"Pichu!" she gasped in shock, "what're you doing here?" she asked the little Pokémon.

Pichu looked up at her with his glassy black eyes, "Pipi, Pichu pi!" he squeaked happily.

"You can't stay with me!" She said "you live in the forest!"

Pichu shook his little head in denial.

"Don't look at me like that!" she told him sternly, "I can't keep you and that's that! Come on, I'm taking you back right now"

She put Pichu down, and pulled on her boots, before picking him up again, and marching towards the forest.

-o-

When Tripp awoke the next morning, his neck was stiff and he still had a headache. He looked towards Psyduck who was observing him with interest.

"This how you feel buddy?" he asked, gesturing towards his head. To his astonishment, Psyduck nodded.

"You-you understand me?" Tripp asked. He had no idea; after all, the two may as well have spoken different languages.

"We have to tell Rose!" he said, to nobody in particular - in denial that Psyduck could in fact understand him.

For the second time in a row, Tripp was at Rose's door at six in the morning, and making quite a racket.

Rose's eyes fluttered open, and she screamed. Looking right at her, a couple of inches from her own, were a pair of enormous black eyes.

"Piiiiiiiii!" he squeaked happily, bouncing on the bed. Rose gasped in horror.

"PICHU!" she shouted, "you cannot stay with me! I can't look after you!" she said in frustration.

Downstairs, she heard her mother open the front door with a "Morning Tripp!"

Sensing her lack of concentration, Pichu made for her bedroom door, and bounced happily down the staircase to the living room where Tripp and her mother were. Rose's heart stopped as she followed him down the stairs, she was in for it now…

-o-

Nurse Hope blinked once, and twice upon seeing a Pichu launch itself from her daughter's bedroom. Rose's guilty face at the top of the staircase said it all for Nurse Hope, and her eyes narrowed.

"Tripp," she said, not taking her eyes from her daughter, "would you mind waiting in the kitchen for a moment?" Tripp didn't need telling twice, and bolted for the other end of the cottage.

"Mum," Rose started, "it's really not-"

"Rose," Nurse Hope interrupted, "explain."

Rose gulped, shouting she could cope with, disappointment was harder.

"It's not what it looks like, I didn't capture him, I healed him yesterday - it's a long story…"

"Healed him?" her mother frowned, "what do you mean?"

Rose launched into her tale, and when she had finished, her mother continued to look disbelieving.

"Rose, I don't want to accuse you of lying, but there really is no way a Pokémon could be so bonded to you simply through that amount of limited contact, it's standard!" Nurse Hope frowned, but then her eyes began to widen as though she remembered something.

At this point, Tripp poked his head around the door.

"Um, I couldn't help but er – overhear, and er – Nurse Hope, Rose, she - she's telling the truth" he looked at the older woman earnestly.

Nurse Hope frowned once again.

"We're not finished with this Rose, I suggest you return the Pichu to the forest, and you and Tripp will have to occupy yourselves today, I have to make a phone call…right away "

"To whom?" Rose asked curiously, noticing he strange look on her mother's face.

"To your cousin Mona. I'm going to invite her here on a long term basis"

"Mona?" Rose asked, confused. Mona was her cousin, a year her senior, and she lived in Sage City, "what's she coming for? And why do I have to stay away? Won't you need my help?"

Nurse Hope looked at her daughter levelly, Rose couldn't make out her expression.

"Mona will be living with us from now on; I'm going to teach her nursing"

-o-

What happened afterwards was a blur. She somehow remembered leaving the house with Tripp and Pichu, and the next thing she knew they were sat on the mossy floor of the forest; Pichu sat in her lap nibbling on a Cheri berry.

Tripp attempted to break the suffocating silence.

"Rose…can Pokémon…understand us?"

She looked up at him, her brown eyes dull.

"Of course they can" she answered in a monotone. This answer he hadn't been expecting.

"They can?" he exclaimed. Rose merely nodded. Tripp sighed; she really wasn't in the mood today. He released Psyduck from its Pokéball, and wandered a few meters to the left, until he found a Weedle, and began to train.

Rose looked up from her lap, where Pichu was happily sat. She watched Tripp training, and was surprised to see that he was good, really good. His decisions were quick, and in the short time he'd had his Pokémon, he appeared to understand Psyduck, they worked as a team. She smiled slightly, and then sighed as she remembered her situation. She had never asked, but had always assumed that her mother would train her once she turned seventeen. She knew Mona was interested in nursing, but Sage City had an enormous Pokémon Centre, why hadn't she applied for a course there? Rose felt even more confused. The one anchor to her future had been snatched from her.

She snapped back to reality when Tripp sat down next to her once more, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"You were very good" she said in a small voice, "much improved"

"Thanks!" he grinned, resting back on his elbows, "I could have caught it sooner though, it wasn't a very well placed attack, that Headbutt"

"You – you caught that Weedle?" Rose asked, evidently shocked. Tripp pretended to be offended.

"You didn't see?" he asked, feigning tears. Rose laughed and hit him on the arm.

"No I didn't...was lost in thought" she attempted a nonchalant smile.

Tripp looked at her intently.

"That surprised you didn't it?" he asked.

Rose looked at him, ready to deny it, but then couldn't see the point.

"Yeah, it surprised me" she looked him in the eye "why is she training someone else? I'm her daughter!"

Tripp frowned to himself, also unable to make much sense of the situation.

"I don't know" he said truthfully, "have you ever…you know, expressed any desire to be a nurse?"

"Well, no" Rose replied, "but I would have thought it was obvious! Do I not help her all the time?"

"You do," Tripp said, "but maybe she thinks that you consider it a duty instead of a hobby? Maybe she thinks she's doing you a favour training your cousin, so maybe…"

"Maybe what?" Rose asked, he was avoiding her eyes again.

"Maybe…she thinks you want something else?" his blue eyes met her brown ones, and held them.

"Tripp, that's _your_ dream, not mine, and whether Mona's there or not, if I don't talk to my mother, I could miss out on _my_ dream"

She stood up and brushed the mud off her jeans.

"I'll try and come to yours later" she said.

With that, Rose made her way out of the forest, seemingly unaware that Pichu was close behind her.

-o-

At eleven o'clock, there was a tentative knock at Tripp's bedroom door. He sat up from where he had been lying full clothed on his bed, and pulled his cap off his face, which he had been using to shield his eyes from the light that he couldn't be bothered to turn off. He opened the door. He didn't know who he expected to see, but it wasn't Rose. Her long dark hair was dripping from the rain and her lips were red from the cold. Her eyes were downcast, and Tripp knew better than to say anything. He pulled her into a hug, and closed his eyes.

"Psy?"

Tripp kept his eyes closed, Rose's hair smelt of lavender, and he couldn't seem to let go of her.

"Pi?"

At this his eyes did snap open, as he took in the sight of Psyduck and Pichu shaking little Pokémon paws.

"What the fuck?" Tripp couldn't help but yell, and he relaxed as he felt Rose laugh a little against his chest.

"You haven't been formally introduced yet," she said, her eyes regaining a little of their sparkle, "Pichu this is Tripp, Tripp this is Pichu – my Pokémon"

Tripp gaped at her.

"Your Pokémon? But – nursing?" he looked into her brown eyes searchingly.

Rose sat down on his bed, and rubbed her eyes wearily.

"I talked to my mum," she said. Tripp was always impressed how she managed to keep her voice so stable when she herself clearly wasn't.

"She…she said," Rose rubbed her temples, "she said I shouldn't be a Nurse"

Tripp frowned, although he wanted Rose to be a trainer, it was for selfish reasons, if she truly wanted to be a nurse, he didn't see why anyone should stop her.

"It's not like that," she began, "it's partly to do with that little guy" she said, looking towards Pichu who was doing forward rolls along Tripp's bedroom floor.

"What about him?" Tripp asked, confused.

"He's bonded with me," Rose said, "so not only is it unsafe to leave him in the wild now…"

"Go on" Tripp urged her.

"Well," she began, and then continued in a small voice "apparently my dad's Growlithe bonded with him in the same way…"

Tripp gaped at her.

"And it's unusual apparently…the strength of this bond…so maybe you're right…I mean, I don't know what became of my dad, but maybe my genes do have something to do with it" she managed to smile again, and Tripp couldn't help but smile back.

"So what's the conclusion?" he asked her, rather confused as to her situation.

"Well, if you don't mind…" she began.

"…yes?" Tripp urged her, not entirely sure why he was feeling so nervous.

"If you don't mind, I may be joining you on a 'quest' of some sort" she said, wrinkling her nose.

"YES!" Tripp shouted; without thinking, he pulled Rose to her feet and hugged her tightly, until they were both laughing; their Pokémon looking up at them confused.

"Next stop Fennel City?" Rose asked, grinning.

"You bet!" Tripp laughed, hugging her again.

_This_ was what was meant to happen, he thought to himself.

-o-

Two weeks later, bags packed, and Pokémon safely in Pokéballs, Rose and Tripp were on the edge of Chicory Forest, saying their final goodbyes to their families.

"Now Tripp," his mother began, pushing her long blond hair over her shoulders, "I've packed you a lot of clean underwear, so be sure to change them everyday…"

"Mum!" Tripp blushed furiously, glaring at his mother, and avoiding Rose, Mona and Nurse Hope's eyes.

They all laughed, and the parents all hugged their children goodbye one last time.

"Do let me know if you hear anything won't you Rose?" her mother whispered in her ear. Although she couldn't imagine that she would come across her father, she couldn't deny her mother the hope.

"Of course I will" she whispered back, before separating from her mother, and making her way into Chicory Forest with Tripp once more.

-o-

"No, I'm telling you! A Psyduck's Headbutt wouldn't have that strong an effect on a Geodude!"

"But I don't understand why not," Tripp persisted, "if you trained the Psyduck up loads…"

"Well yes," Rose replied, "it would make a difference, but that still doesn't detract from the fact that Headbutt is a normal type move and Geodude is a rock type Pokémon!"

"Ooh yeah…" Tripp said, "I forgot that moves could have types too"

"It's a very important thing to remember, the better you know your types and weaknesses, the better you'll do in battle"

Tripp sighed; he still had a lot to learn.

"Where do you reckon I could catch a Geodude?" he asked his friend.

Rose frowned "I have no idea, I suppose we'll just have to look around" she said optimistically.

"The whole of Sesame?" Tripp laughed, "That's ambitious! We've been trying to find our way out of Chicory Forest for almost two hours now…"

It was then that they reached a fork on the path they had decided to follow. The left was lighter, the golden daylight filtering in through the thick leaves; the right was gloomier, murkier, the undergrowth thicker and the birch trees more numerous.

"What're you doing?" Rose asked Tripp incredulously; he had begun to walk down the somewhat sinister right path.

"What do you mean?" he frowned back, "there's bound to be a ton of Pokémon down this path!"

"Tripp, don't be ridiculous – we may have three Pokémon between us, but unfortunately, they're not particularly strong"

"Relax Rose!" he rolled his eyes "isn't this how we train?"

"No. It's not" Rose snapped, "that's how we kill ourselves"

"Oh, lighten up will you?" Tripp exclaimed, exasperated. He saw her eyes narrow and tensed, waiting for it…

After twenty minutes of ferocious arguing (on Rose's behalf), the teenagers started down the lighter left route, Tripp rather sulkily so.

"Where we headed next then genius?" he mumbled. He was feeling rather antagonistic towards his friend at the moment.

Rose rolled her eyes but didn't answer.

They continued to walk in silence for a while, when a wild Caterpie shuffled across their path. Tripp, startled went to throw his Pokéball, but Rose was faster.

"Go Pichu!" she shouted, releasing Pichu as her own for the first time. The Caterpie froze before turning to the little electric Pokémon.

"Use your Shockwave!" Rose commanded, and Pichu, eager to please, closed his eyes and concentrated on surging the electricity forth.

Tripp meanwhile, stood open-mouthed in shock; he had never seen Rose battle before, and was awed by her skill and the apparent ease with which she delivered the attacks. She knew what she was doing; there was no doubt about it. Her brown eyes were set, her stance assertive, her look of determination striking – and Caterpie fainted.

She laughed as Pichu bounded up onto her shoulder and licked her ear. She turned to Tripp, who to her surprise was looking at her rather coldly.

"What's the matter?" she asked, confused.

"Nothing" Tripp answered, avoiding her gaze. In truth, he was embarrassed. He was a novice, and she already was highly skilled, what with her extensive knowledge and her seemingly formidable battle style. What was worse was that she already seemed to have a strong bond with her Pokémon, and although it sickened Tripp to admit it, whenever he had fantasised about their Pokémon adventure, it was he and not Rose that was the better trainer, the more successful in their Pokémon career.

"Spit it out Tripp" Rose frowned; surely he wasn't still mad that they'd taken the left fork?

"Just leave it okay? I said it was nothing". He hitched his rucksack more securely on his shoulder and continued to trudge through the undergrowth. Rose looked at Pichu, still perched on her shoulder, before shrugging and continuing after her friend.

It was nearing eleven o'clock, Noctowl's hoots replacing the squawks and caws of Pidgey and Taillow.

"Tripp?" Rose called tentatively; they hadn't spoken since Rose's battle hours before, and didn't appear to be any nearer to escaping the confines of the forest.

The two had kept their distance of about ten yards since Tripp had stormed off, and he didn't seem to willing to change that anytime soon.

"Look," Rose continued, "I don't know about you, but I'm knackered, and I don't plan to walk the forest until dawn!" she stopped walking and crossed her arms.

"Pipi!" Pichu agreed. Rose's lips twitched. Tripp stopped walking, but didn't turn around.

"Well?" Rose asked, her eyebrow raised. She was bored of Tripp not talking to her, and tired on top of that, her feet were aching horribly; this did not inspire her to feel particularly patient.

He dropped his rucksack, pulled out his one-man tent, and began to pitch it in a nearby clearing. Rose rolled her eyes, but followed suit, pitching her tent next to Tripp's.

The night was cold, despite the fact it was August, and Rose was grateful for the thick sleeping bag her mother insisted she take. She smiled as Pichu snuggled in next to her; his presence was comforting after Tripp's cold front. She was however, too tired to think on it too much, and hoping that he would be over whatever it was by the morning, she drifted off to sleep.

Tripp however wasn't finding the comfort of sleep so easy. He was horribly cold and shivering violently. After half an hour, he could stand it no longer, and wriggled out of his sleeping bag, and began to grope in the darkness for his jumper.

He jumped in shock, when he felt something unexpected in the gloom; something small and furry with rather pointy ears.

"Pipi!" Pichu shrieked, as Tripp grabbed his ear.

"Jeez!" Tripp shouted, before falling back on his behind – he wasn't expecting this, "what're you doing in here?" he demanded rather angrily, he did after all receive quite a fright. Pichu didn't appear to notice the anger in his voice, but bounded onto his chest, as he was still on the floor, and began 'talking' to him earnestly.

"Pi? Pipi, Pichu! Pichu pi?"

"I know she hasn't done anything wrong," Tripp said tiredly, "and I'm not mad at her…"

"Pichu?" Pichu replied disbelievingly.

"Well all right, I was embarrassed more than anything…I mean…she's so good!"

"Pi Pichu!" Pichu exclaimed.

"I'm not as good as her though…"

Pichu widened his little eyes condescendingly.

"Don't give me that look!" yelled Tripp, whose eyes had adjusted to the gloom, "I_know_ it's stupid, I'm just jealous because this isn't even what she really wants, and she's better than me!" he started to turn red after having said this; going over and over it in his mind had been one thing, but to say it aloud made him realise just how awful he sounded.

Pichu, seeing this look of comprehension on Tripp's face, believed his work to be done, and scampered back to Rose's tent, where he snuggled down next to her in her sleeping bag.

-o-

Rose awoke much earlier than she would have liked, although she felt fairly well rested, due to the early morning caws of Pidgeotto. She frowned as she realised that Pichu was no longer in her sleeping bag, and unzipped her tent. She saw him sitting a few meters away and chewing happily on a Razz Berry.

She went back into her tent and pulled her jeans and jumper on, before packing everything away, ready to leave as soon as possible. She was bored of being stuck in this forest, and vowed to herself that they would be out of it by midday.

-o-

Tripp woke to the sound of Rose trying to stuff her tent back into her rucksack. He sat up and stretched, pulled his own jeans on, before crawling out of his tent, much to Rose's surprise. She had been trying to be quiet so as not to wake him. He gave her a small smile, much to her relief – she wasn't quite sure how he was going to behave towards her after yesterday's antics – and began to put her tent away for her.

"There" he said, once he had managed it, "it depends how you fold it; this way makes it a lot smaller, and therefore easier to put away"

"Thank you" Rose smiled, "if you put yours away, I'll do breakfast"

"Deal" Tripp grinned, pleased that he was feeling better again. He rolled his eyes at Pichu who had nodded at him in approval.

"That was not a fair deal!" Tripp laughed, as Rose handed him a plate, consisting of two bread rolls and a flask of chocolate milkshake.

"What did you expect?" she asked him, as she rolled her eyes, "fried eggs?"

Tripp shook his head at her as he bit into his bread roll, and took a swig of milkshake.

"I have a plan" Rose stated, as she started on her second bread roll, after breaking off a piece for Psyduck who didn't appear to be keen on Berries.

Tripp's mouth was full, but he raised his eyebrows to indicate that she should continue.

"Well," she said, "there are a lot of wild Pokémon around, and I thought it would only be fair to take the battling in turns" she took another bite of her bread, before saying, "that way we can avoid any spectacles like yesterday"

Tripp lowered his gaze and nodded; he was perfectly happy for her to believe that he had been sulking, simply because he had been of the opinion that she had stolen his battle opportunity.

"Good idea" he said, in a somewhat muffled voice.

Rose looked at him strangely, before shrugging, assuming his voice was due to the fact he had taken another bite of bread. She didn't notice that the tips of his ears had turned red.

-o-

When they had finished their breakfast, and their Pokémon were safely back in their Pokéballs (much to Pichu's distaste), Rose and Tripp continued on the path, feeling optimistic once more.

"I really want a Geodude" Tripp mused.

"I've noticed" Rose retorted. Tripp had done little else but to question her on the stats of the Pokémon, which she had to admit, she didn't know an awful lot about.

"What about you?" he asked, "what Pokémon do you want next?"

Rose had to think about this one; a trainer could only take six Pokémon with them at any one time, unless they wanted to set up a PC storage system account, but she knew this to be very expensive. She therefore wanted to think long and hard about which Pokémon she wanted to be included in her party.

"I'm not too sure about the exact Pokémon I want," she said, "but I do quite fancy a water type"

"Well Hyssop Lake's not too far from Fennel City!" Tripp said excitedly, "I hear they have loads of Goldeen!"

Rose wrinkled her nose.

"What?" Tripp asked, "What's wrong?"

"I don't like Goldeen much" Rose admitted.

"Why not?" Tripp asked, "I thought Seaking was a really good Pokémon?"

"It is!" Rose said sheepishly, "I just don't like the fact that…you know…"

Tripp raised his eyebrows in confusion, "Know what?"

"Well, Goldeen and Seaking...and Magikarp and a bunch of others too I guess…"

"Yes?" Tripp asked impatiently.

Rose wrinkled her nose again, "They're _fish_!"

She began to get defensive when Tripp started laughing, "I've never liked fish! You know that!"

"Yeah, to _eat_!" he laughed, "What's wrong with a fish Pokémon?"

"Ooh I don't know!" Rose exclaimed, beginning to laugh herself now, "I just find them a bit creepy!"

"I am so gonna catch one now" Tripp said gleefully, "and make you like -"

"Make me what?" Rose asked, eyebrows raised.

"I dunno…touch it and stuff…"

"Tripp," Rose laughed, "you are ridiculous"

She did feel slightly panicked at the idea however, and tried desperately hard not to show it.

"You really shouldn't catch another water type though you know," she said, trying to inject calmness into her voice, so as to hide her mounting hysteria at the thought of _touching_a fish…she shuddered.

"Oh?" Tripp asked, amused.

"Mhmm!" She continued, "it'll only be a disadvantage to you if you have too many of the same type in your party, I agree with you trying to find a Geodude next"

Tripp frowned as he realised that what she had said was actually very good advice.

"Know-it-all" he grumbled.

Rose breathed a sigh of relief and smiled; he didn't mean it really.

-o-

After another half an hour of walking, the trees began to thin considerably, large patches of sunlight now streaming in through them. Excited, the teenagers began to run, their backpacks rattling, their laughter carrying, until they reached the edge of the forest. They were silenced as they cast their eyes over the valley before them.

The land stretched for an inexhaustible number of miles, and almost all of Sesame was available to their eyes at that moment; from the famous Marjoram Park, to the far distant Fenugreek Beach, both of which Rose had only heard of. As they began their descent down the hill, they were only acutely aware of just how remarkably this journey would change their lives.

**Author's Note:**

**I'd love to know what you think so far **

**Love A x**


	3. Chapter 3

Rose and Tripp, so elated that they were finally free from Chicory Forest, hurried along the road to Fennel City, rather conspicuously, so desperate they were to shower and buy some hot food.

"Whoa there!" exclaimed a girl with cropped hair and startling green eyes, that the unfortunate pair happened to crash into upon rounding a corner somewhat enthusiastically, "You're Pokémon trainers right?" she grinned, taking a Pokéball from her belt and enlarging it.

"You bet!" Tripp shouted enthusiastically. Rose cringed, he really was too impulsive.

"In that case, you can't say no to a battle," the girl replied before throwing her Pokéball – "Go! Budew!"

"I choose Weedle!" shouted Tripp.

Rose stepped back to let the battle commence.

"Use your Poison Sting!" Tripp commanded, and Weedle, happy to oblige, did so, and hit the Budew critically.

"No!" the green eyed girl screamed as her Budew reeled in pain, "come on Budew! Use your Stun Spore!"

As the golden powder showered Weedle, he began to move rather slowly and rigidly.

"What's wrong with him?" Tripp panicked, never having witnessed paralysis.

"He's fine Tripp!" Rose called, "we just need to stock up on medicine once we reach Fennel!"

The green eyed girl laughed before saying, "Budew! Use Magical Leaf!"

The attack hit Weedle squarely, but appeared to affect him very little. Weedle went on to use a very well placed Tackle, as ordered by Tripp, which caused the already weakened Budew to faint.

The girl withdrew Budew, and snarled, "Next I choose – Trapinch!"

Tripp smiled, he knew exactly what he had to do.

"Come back Weedle! Go! Psyduck!"

"Trapinch, use Crunch!" the girl yelled, pointing her index finger towards the opponent.

"Dodge it Psyduck! Show it your Water Gun!"

Psyduck threw back his head and used the attack, much stronger than Tripp had ever seen him do it.

"Go on Trapinch! Use Sand Attack!" the trainer demanded, but Tripp was too quick:

"Headbutt, Psyduck!" Trapinch, who had bravely faced the Water Gun crumbled when exposed to Psyduck's Headbutt, and like Budew before him, fainted.

The green eyed trainer was speechless. She returned Trapinch to its Pokéball and regarded Rose and Tripp.

"You're stronger than you look" she concluded sulkily, before picking up her rucksack, and continuing on her way towards Chicory.

-o-

"And the Headbutt? Did you see how well aimed it was?"

"Yes Tripp, I _was_ there remember?" Rose sighed, rolling her eyes. They had finally reached the outskirts of Fennel City, half an hour after Tripp's roadside battle – and he had spoken of nothing else since.

"Sorry" he mumbled sheepishly, "it's just exciting, I mean, that battle is proof that this journey is really happening!"

Rose smiled at her friend.

"No, I'm sorry" she apologised, "I don't blame you for being excited, I just really want to take a shower, and unfortunately for you, you're here with me, so you have the honour of being the target for my short temper"

Tripp shrugged happily, nothing could lower his current mood.

When they reached the Pokémon Centre and had their Pokémon healed, the two retreated to the back of the building, where the Trainer's Lodge was. Here they were able to shower, before making their way to the café, ordering a hot bowl of reviving noodle soup each.

"Honestly though," Tripp started before glaring at the rather large trainer sat next to him who had shunted his elbow – the café was crowded, "Psyduck's Water Gun; is it me, or did it seem way more powerful?"

Rose swallowed her mouthful of noodles before answering, "No, I noticed that too, I guess all our training in Chicory Forest paid off" she took another mouthful.

"Must have done," replied Tripp with his mouth full; he swallowed, "I mean, I swear it's only meant to take a few hours to get out of that place?"

Rose shrugged, she was too hungry to be bothered right now.

"Do you mind if I join you?" somebody asked her. She looked up to see an incredibly old, yet rather sprightly looking old man, with very thick lenses in his bifocals, and a rather alarming moustache. He was wearing a lab coat. She swallowed yet another mouthful before smiling and shifting along the bench slightly, "Please do!" she told him.

"Thank you ever so much!" the old man replied, before taking a sip of his tea, "it gets ever so crowded in here these days!" he told them joyfully.

Rose and Tripp fell into an awkward silence; the man's friendliness rendered them speechless.

He sipped at his tea again before exclaiming, "How rude of me not to introduce myself! My name is Professor Willow" he extended a hand to each of them, and Rose was forced to kick Tripp under the table, who wasn't hiding his urge to laugh particularly well.

"I'm Rose," she said, "and this is my friend, Tripp"

"Aaah wonderful!" Professor Willow exclaimed, rubbing his palms together, as if Rose had told him something really quite amusing; she exchanged a worried glance with Tripp.

"You may have heard of me" Professor Willow said proudly, sticking out his unimpressive chest, "I conduct very important research on varieties of Pokémon egg and I have been known to dabble in evolution!"

"Ooh really?" Rose asked, praying that she sounded interested; she aimed another kick at Tripp, who hadn't yet found his voice, but was staring unabashedly at the eccentric old man.

"Pokémon eggs?" Tripp finally asked Professor Willow, as he took another mouthful of noodles.

"Indeed!" exclaimed the Professor, seemingly pleased to have an audience. He leant in close to them, as if he were unveiling clandestine information.

"In my bag" he whispered, "I have four Pokémon eggs" he bent down under the table and took one out of his bag, placing it on the table between them. It was oval in shape and pearl white in colour, but in the light from the lamp overhead, it emitted a pinkish sheen.

Rose immediately became interested; she had never seen a Pokémon egg before.

"What kind of Pokémon will this hatch into Professor?" she asked eagerly.

"That's just it…" Professor Willow said, still in his hushed voice, "I don't know!"

He then let out such a loud squawk of laughter that Tripp spilled his noodle soup all down his front in alarm. Seeing the mutinous expression on his face, Rose too began to laugh, and Professor Willow, believing she was laughing at what he had said, continued.

"The thing with Pokémon eggs" he said, "is that for them to hatch, they need to be active; that is, jostled around an awful lot"

"Really?" Rose asked, interested again. Tripp rolled his eyes; he had never met anyone who craved information as much as she did.

"Why yes," the Professor said; he began to stroke his moustache, as though he were thinking very profoundly about something.

"My laboratory is in Tarragon City; as you are trainers, I assume that you will be making your way there at some point? There is a course a most prestigious Gym!"

"Yeah, we will be!" Tripp told the old man, dabbing at his noodle stained front with a napkin.

"Well! Then it's sorted!" the old man exclaimed, clapping his hands in glee.

"Er – what's sorted Professor?" Rose asked, raising an eyebrow.

The Professor looked at her as though she were really quite dim. He then proceeded to use a voice that suggested he thought she didn't understand the language.

"Because. You. Are. Pokémon. Trainers." He began, pronouncing each word with care – Tripp couldn't help but let out a bark of laughter, he had never seen Rose look so humiliated – "It. Would. Mean. That. The. Eggs. Will. Hatch. Faster. If. _You_. Take. Them"

"What?" Tripp asked, "You're going to _give_ us Pokémon eggs?"

"Why young man," the Professor said, mistaking Tripp's surprise for disgust "it would be an_honour_ to take these eggs with you, God _alone_ knows what Pokémon may be concealed in its yolky depths!"

"We'll take them" Rose smiled, somewhat sarcastically, desperate to be rid of the Professor.

"Wonderful!" the Professor Willow cried, seemingly unaware of her cold front. He buried under the table again, and brought out another egg, identical to the first.

"I really must get going, I told young Elliot I would meet him at Hyssop Lake, the poor boy hasn't a clue, he believes he's discovered something - probably the nest of a 'Legendary Pokémon'" the Professor shook his head at 'Elliot's' supposed stupidity.

"Goodbye for now young trainers! May your journey be full of hardships that make the happy moments all the more significant…and don't forget to drop by and show me what these astounding eggs hatch into!"

The old man gave the flabbergasted teenagers a wave, before draining his tea-cup and hobbling out of the café.

Tripp blinked at Rose, "What the hell just happened?"

"I have no idea" she answered, picking up an egg in her hands and examining it closely; it was far heavier than she expected, and warm to the touch. "I found him very rude and obtrusive…but he _did_appear to just give us a Pokémon each"

"But can we actually keep it once it hatches?" Tripp asked, confused.

Rose shrugged, "I haven't a clue, he never said he wanted them back, just wanted to know what Pokémon hatched from his egg"

Tripp laughed, "That's fine by me!"

"Me too! Shall we find the Gym?" Rose asked, standing up.

Tripp nodded; they placed their eggs carefully in their rucksacks, before squeezing their way out of the crowded café, into the dazzling sunlight.

-o-

After happily exploring the city, Rose and Tripp came across the Pokémon Gym. It wasn't particularly large, a smaller building than the Pokémon Centre, but the fact it was constructed of glass alone, meant it stood out; especially as the sunlight was reflecting off it in a way that hurt their eyes.

"Look, there's a note on the door!" Tripp pointed out eagerly; they edged closer.

_**Gone to Hyssop Lake - back before four! Elliot and Buizel.**_

"Four o'clock?" Tripp cried, "What're we meant to do until then?"

Rose however was studying the sign intently. "I do believe this is the Elliot the Professor was referring to"

"Oh yeah!" Tripp remembered, as he sat on the floor outside the Gym, ready to wait.

"Well, there's no use in waiting here" Rose concluded, "It's only half past one!"

"…What shall we do then?" Tripp asked; he was quite happy to sit there and wait - he was desperate to challenge his first Gym.

"I think we should go to Hyssop Lake" Rose stated, "We can train on the way, convince the Gym Leader to come back with us, and then challenge him"

Tripp stood up and Rose smiled, she knew the prospect of training wouldn't leave her friend idle.

"What're we waiting for? Let's go!" he said, dragging her by the hand.

-o-

"Wow! Pichu's looking really tough!" Tripp said, impressed after having watched Pichu knock a Rattata out with a single Shock Wave.

Rose grinned, "He's coming along nicely isn't he?"

She tried to return him to his Pokéball, but he wasn't having any of it. Rose let him stay on her shoulder, she didn't mind really.

Hyssop Town wasn't far from Fennel City, just a ten minute walk along a dirt road. The tussocks of grass along the way meant that there were plenty of opportunities for training.

"We need to buy some Potions once we get to Hyssop" Tripp frowned as he rummaged in his bag, "I've almost run out of the ones we bought in Fennel!"

"What, how?" Rose asked, shocked.

"I dunno" Tripp shrugged, "we _have_ done a lot of training!"

"I know, but you don't need to use a Potion after every battle!" Rose explained, "Only when the Pokémon begins to get tired"

"Oh…whoops" Tripp laughed, "I just didn't want them to be hurt!"

Rose laughed at him, "Such a big heart"

"Yeah, yeah" Tripp answered, rolling his eyes at his friend.

-o-

Hyssop Town wasn't unlike Chicory, in that there was almost nothing to do there. Eager to get the Lake and find Elliot, Rose and Tripp didn't linger, but proceeded straight through, until they reached the giant body of sparkling water.

Upon arrival, they heard both raised and defensive voices. A boy not much older than them was confronting two individuals, both with rather vivid hair; one bright blue, the other acid green.

"Well I've told you now" the boy was saying, his back was turned to them, "you can't catch Dewgong on a rod, so what're you still doing here?"

The man with bright blue hair glanced uneasily at the one whose hair was acid green; he however, didn't appear to have an answer and so shrugged in reply.

"Go on then, scram!" the boy told them. The men shuffled past Rose and Tripp, fishing rods over their shoulders, scowls evident on their faces.

"Hi" the boy smiled, turning to Rose and Tripp once the men were out of sight. Running his hand through his light brown hair, he said "no idea what was going on there – I was told there was some commotion and came to investigate."

"What happened?" Tripp asked, interested.

"Well, those two, whoever they were, were apparently ordering people to evacuate the lake, as they had 'business' to attend to" the boy frowned, "sounded rather fishy to me"

"They were trying to catch Dewgong did you say?" Rose asked, frowning.

"Elliot!" a familiar voice wheezed, "there you are! Well, was it the lair of some undiscovered legendary?" Professor Willow hobbled into sight, much to Rose's dismay.

"No Grandpa," Elliot sighed, "I told you, I heard there was some commotion and had to come and investigate; it's my duty as Gym Leader and the Hyssop Lake Warden!"

"You're Elliot, the Fennel City Gym Leader?" Tripp asked.

"I am!" Elliot smiled, "were you hoping to challenge the Gym today?"

"You'd be better to conduct some research than spending all day in that Gym of yours" Professor Willow reproved his grandson.

"Yes Grandpa, I know" Elliot sighed.

"An absolute waste of time!" the old man continued, "all that money spent on your education and you battle your days away!"

Elliot took a patient breath, "Grandpa, it's nearing four o'clock, didn't you have to meet Professor Birch at five?"

"Yes, yes I know!" replied the Professor airily, in a voice that implied that he had not remembered at all. "I'll drop by again tomorrow Elliot, and this time you're going to come with me to the lab, I'll show you how you _could_ be spending your time!"

"Okay Grandpa, see you tomorrow" Elliot said, teeth gritted.

"Indeed, I want you to be ready nice and early!" The Professor waggled his finger condescendingly at his grandson, before walking back towards Hyssop, without even having glanced at Rose or Tripp.

"My grandfather" Elliot announced, as though it pained him to be related to such a man.

"We met him at the Pokémon Centre," Rose said delicately, "he's…charming"

"You don't need to defend him in front of me!" Elliot laughed, "I've always been a disappointment to him as you've probably gathered – I was more interested in being with Pokémon than studying them"

"Can't say I blame you!" Tripp grinned, "So what were you saying to those men? Weird looking weren't they?" he added.

Elliot frowned, and pushed his shaggy brown hair out of his eyes.

"I have no idea who they are, but they were shady all right"

"Why?" Rose inquired, "Is it unusual to go fishing here?"

"No of course not!" Elliot replied, "I mean, it's a famous fishing spot, the lake's full of water type Pokémon…but I don't know, these guys were odd, they were too…I don't know, I can't quite explain it"

"Weird?" Tripp offered.

Elliot and Rose laughed.

"Weird indeed" Elliot said, "but they're gone now! So I can go back to wasting my time at the Gym" he said, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"We'll come back with you!" Tripp exclaimed, excited.

"No we won't," Rose smiled, "we're going to stay here and train"

The two boys looked at her, and then at each other.

"Keen isn't she?" Tripp laughed.

"No." Rose replied shortly, "I just don't want to be humiliated in my first Gym battle; I hear Elliot's Buizel is quite the battler" she smiled at him.

Elliot blushed, "He's a good Pokémon, he doesn't back down easy"

Tripp rolled his eyes, "Fine! We'll stay a while!"

"I'd better get back," Elliot remarked, checking his watch, "I'll see you guys later?" he asked.

"Of course!" Rose smiled, waving at him as he made his way back towards Hyssop.

After having rented a fishing rod each, Rose and Tripp sat on a secluded bank, already bored.

"Why won't anything bite?" Tripp groaned; the sun was incredibly hot - his t-shirt was already sticking uncomfortably to his back.

"No id-" Rose started to say, before her rod gave a violent lurch, almost causing her to let go of it in shock.

"Whoa!" she yelled, as a wild Horsea launched itself from the lake, onto the bank where they had been idly sat.

"Horsea?" Tripp gaped, "they're- they're _rare_!"

"Chu!" Pichu squeaked, bounding to the floor from where he was still perched on Rose's shoulder, sparks flying from his little pink cheek pouches.

"Carefully now, Pichu!" Rose said, "We don't want to make it faint!" she was determined to catch it.

Pichu nodded in comprehension, his little body tensed.

"Use Thunderwave!" Rose told him, mentally choosing a battle strategy.

Horsea however was too fast and dodged the attack, before using its Smokescreen, blinding both Rose and Pichu.

"Argh!" Rose yelled, trying to clear the air before her with her hands. Before she could react, the Horsea had used Bubblebeam, and knocked Pichu, who couldn't see a thing, to the ground. He got determinedly up again however, and turned to Rose for instruction.

"Easy does it Pichu," she told him, her eyes narrowed, "show it your Pound!"

The attack hit this time, and Horsea was temporarily winded.

"Now, Pichu! Thunderwave!" Horsea was unable to dodge the attack this time, and was rendered paralysed.

"Yeah!" Rose shouted in delight, "Tackle it Pichu!"

Pichu's Tackle was well placed, and Horsea, finding it hard to move due to its paralysis, could only fire a badly aimed Water Gun, which Pichu avoided with ease.

"One more Pound!" Rose yelled.

The attack hit, and Horsea keeled over, exhausted. Rose rummaged hurriedly in her bag for a Pokéball, and just as the sea horse Pokémon was beginning to right itself, she threw it.

Rose, Tripp and Pichu all held their breath in anticipation as the Pokéball wobbled once, twice, three times, before giving a resounding_clunk_.

Rose blinked, unable to believe it, before laughing merrily, and picking up the Pokéball.

"We did it!" she shrieked, as Pichu jumped up on her shoulder.

"Way to go!" Tripp told her, extremely impressed with how she managed the battle.

"Thanks!" she said, grinning at him, "I didn't think I was going to be able to catch it! Its speed stat must be so high!"

"Pichu Pi!" Pichu said happily.

"You're right!" Rose said, "I did plan to catch a water type next!"

The group were in high spirits after Rose's success, and decided to move to a sunnier patch in the water, where to their delight, the water Pokémon took the bait almost instantly.

-o-

After almost two hours of training, they were thoroughly worn out. Pichu, Horsea and Psyduck were all looking and feeling much tougher. There had even been a tense moment where Tripp's Weedle, boosted by all its training, began to evolve; they all stood and watched in fascination, before Tripp came to his senses and startled Weedle by shouting "NO!"

Fortunately, this disrupted the evolution, as Tripp was intent on having a Weedle with a sting as deadly as the one that Nurse Hope had mentioned.

The attempted evolution only raised Rose and Tripp's spirits further. It was proof that although the physical changes in their Pokémon were insignificant, they were most definitely growing stronger.

After returning to Fennel City and making use of the Trainer's Lodge once more to fill their empty stomachs, Rose and Tripp set up camp off the road joining Fennel and Hyssop.

"We never returned to the Gym in the end" Tripp yawned, snuggling down in his sleeping bag. Their tent mouths were opposite each other, unzipped, so that they could talk before going to sleep.

"It doesn't matter" Rose told him, closing her eyes, "We'll go first thing in the morning"

There was a flash of light as Pichu managed to escape from his Pokéball. Rose laughed softly.

"Go on then" she murmured to her Pokémon, "you can join me"

She yawned before zipping up her tent. "Night Tripp" she said.

"Night Rose" he replied, zipping up his own tent, and closing his eyes sleepily.

-o-

Tripp awoke abruptly in the night, drenched in a cold sweat. He'd had a dream that left him literally gasping for breath. The men with the unusual hair from the Lake were trying to catch him and Rose on their fishing rods; the teenagers were desperately trying to hide behind rocks and lake weeds, but the sharp ends of the rods kept finding and pursuing them. They realised as they were trying to swim away, that they were under water and therefore couldn't breathe, and the men finally managed to hook them – and Tripp woke with a gasp.

He shuddered, "It was only a dream" he told himself, closing his eyes and trying to forget it. The faces of the men floated before him however, and he shuddered again, there was something in their eyes he didn't like; they were strangely blank, lifeless and it made him uncomfortable, and although it shamed him to admit it, scared.

He sat up again, and groped in the dark until he found his Pokéballs on his belt. In a flash of light that half blinded him, he released Psyduck and Weedle. Their presence comforted him. As they nestled in closer to him, he felt his breathing steady.

"It was only a dream" he repeated, before he drifted off to sleep once more.

By the time Tripp finally woke up the following morning, Rose had already packed away her tent, and had laid out their custom breakfast of bread rolls and milkshake, only this time it was banana flavoured.

"God Tripp!" she exclaimed upon noticing the dark circles around his eyes, "you look dreadful!"

Tripp took a swig of milkshake and grimaced.

"Banana?" he asked, "I hate banana"

"Well it's my favourite" Rose said, her lips twitching, "and Psyduck likes it too by the looks of it" she added.

True, the duck Pokémon had picked up Tripp's abandoned flask, and was guzzling at the milk happily. Tripp looked towards Psyduck, but didn't say a word.

"Are you all right?" Rose frowned; Tripp was unusually quiet.

"Yeah…I'm fine" he said, before shaking his head briskly in an attempt to wake himself up, "bad night's sleep, that's all" he smiled, before taking a bite of bread.

"Well, I've eaten" Rose said, "so you eat your breakfast, I'll pack away your tent, and we can make our way to the Gym"

Tripp's eyes widened considerably, he really wasn't up for battling right now.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Rose asked him, concerned.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" he insisted, "just bit my lip"

Rose surveyed him closely, but chose not to pursue the matter.

With everything packed, and the bread rolls eaten – Tripp who didn't have much of an appetite was aided by Psyduck – they made their way back to Fennel City.

"We stocked up on medicine yesterday evening," Rose said, checking her rucksack, "the Pokémon are well fed and rested, there's nothing else for it!"

She turned to Tripp excitedly, and was alarmed to see that his tanned skin was tinged green.

"Tripp! What's the matter? Are you ill?" she asked, worry evident in her tone.

"I-I'm fine" Tripp croaked, "I just need to sit down" he slid to the floor, feeling faint and clammy, his back resting against the glass panels of the Pokémon Gym.

He then became angry with himself; the dream wasn't that bad; it must have been the lack of sleep that was affecting him so badly. That and the banana milkshake, he thought grimly to himself. As Rose knelt down next to him in concern, he realised he needed to snap out of it,

"I'm really all right" he smiled at her, "just a bad night's sleep, we had quite a busy day yesterday"

Tripp had regained his normal colour, much to the relief of his friend.

"Well, if you're sure?" she asked him encouragingly.

He nodded; no way was he going to let something like this stand in his way of becoming the Champion. He turned the peak of his cap to the back, his face a mask of determination as they walked through the sliding glass doors, into Fennel City Pokémon Gym.

**Author's Note:**

**Bet you want to know what happens right? ;D please let me know your thoughts and you'll find out, I'm really interested what you think :)**

**Love A x**


	4. Chapter 4

As the heavy glass doors clanged shut behind them, the sound reverberated through the silent Gym ominously.

"Welcome" came the voice of Elliot, echoing slightly in the vast, empty space.

"H-hi!" Rose stammered; she suddenly felt incredibly nervous.

"It's you two!" Elliot smiled, pushing his hair out of his eyes – a habit of his, "I assume you got carried away training last night?" he asked them, his eyes twinkling in understanding.

"Yeah, sorry about that" Rose laughed, her confidence returning.

"I take it those men didn't return?" Elliot asked with a frown.

"No, no, it was all clear" Rose told him; she felt Tripp stiffen next to her at the mention of the men.

Tripp himself gulped, all feelings of determination abandoned.

"In that case, if your training wasn't disturbed by any freaky looking individuals, I'm looking forward to testing your strength" Elliot grinned back. The whole time, Tripp had not spoken a word; this didn't go unnoticed by Rose.

"Who wants to go first?" Elliot called to them, enlarging his Pokéball.

Rose looked towards Tripp, who was an unnatural shade of white. He swallowed with difficulty, and managed to croak, "You go".

Rose glanced at him worriedly, but stepped forward all the same.

"I will" she said assertively, her clear voice ringing through the Gym.

"Right," Elliot said, nodding at her, "we will use just one Pokémon each, is that understood?"

Rose could only nod, her throat now felt rather tight.

"Okay then, I choose you – Buizel!" Elliot threw his Pokéball, and in a flash, Buizel appeared on the battle ground.

"Zel!" it growled, poised for battle.

"Go for it Pichu!" Rose commanded; now that she was in battle mode, her nervousness evaporated. Pichu bounded from her shoulder onto the floor to face Buizel, his little fists clenched, sparks flying freely from his cheeks.

"Aqua Jet, Buizel!" Elliot yelled, not hesitating to begin.

"Pichu, Agility!" the smaller Pokémon's speed caused the Aqua Jet to miss. But Elliot wasn't fazed; almost instantaneously, he commanded Buizel to use Quick Attack, which hit Pichu with full force.

"Don't back down!" Rose told her Pokémon encouragingly, "use Thunderwave!"

"Dodge it Buizel! Use Aqua Jet!"

"Show it your Shockwave!"

The water and electricity collided in mid air, neither hitting their opponent. The attacks backfired and flew in every direction, but both Pokémon managed to escape unscathed.

"Pichu! Pound!" Pichu's attack hit, and Buizel flinched in pain.

"Now use Thunderwave!" Rose commanded, grinning as she felt the adrenaline course through her veins.

Buizel became paralysed, and Rose knew it was now or never.

"Use Shockwave Pichu!"

Pichu screwed his eyes shut in concentration, and the biggest volt of electricity yet surged from his cheeks. Buizel tried in vain to withstand the attack, but it was too strong for the water type Pokémon, who fainted.

Elliot returned Buizel to its Pokéball without a word, his eyes fixed on Rose. The only sounds that could be heard were the heavy, ragged breaths of her and Pichu. "That," Elliot started, "was one of the best thought out strategies I have ever come across" his stony face cracked into a grin.

"I am wholly happy to present you with this Rapids Badge Rose you fully earned it"

Rose took the small triangular shaped badge from Elliot, still speechless that the battle was over so quickly, and that she had _won_.

Elliot's face turned serious once more, and he regarded Rose through calculating eyes.

"You'll go far" he told her simply, before retreating to the back of the Gym where he kept his medicines. Rose felt herself blush deeply at the Gym Leader's words.

"You're up next then Tripp?" Elliot called over his shoulder, as he went about reviving Buizel.

Rose looked towards her friend once more - in the excitement of her victory, she had forgotten that there was something not quite right with him. He was still an odd colour, although this time his skin was more grey than white. But he looked horrible - there was no denying that.

"Y-yes," he reluctantly told Elliot, "I'm next"

-o-

"Tripp!" Rose yelled, running after him as quickly as she could. He was far taller than her however, and she couldn't keep up with his loping run.

She gave up and crouched over, attempting to relieve the stitch in her side. When she looked up, Tripp was nowhere to be seen.

Rose made her way miserably to the Pokémon Centre, where she had Pichu healed fully. Whilst she was waiting she stocked up on Poffins for her and Tripp's Pokémon.

She went outside and lowered herself onto the nearest bench, massaging her temples. She couldn't believe what had happened in Tripp's Gym battle. She knew he wasn't quite right; he clearly had something on his mind. Firstly she had put it down to nerves, but Tripp wasn't the kind of person who got nervous, she knew him.

As she went over his battle in her mind, she closed her eyes in horror. Never before had she seen Tripp battle so badly, and Psyduck too performed his worst, due to his confusion in his trainer's incompetence. It had only taken two Quick Attacks and a Swift to make Psyduck faint, and Psyduck itself didn't manage to hit Buizel once.

Rose sighed heavily. She knew Tripp would be feeling extremely ashamed and embarrassed, implied by the fact he ran from her. She leant back on the bench and closed her eyes, concentrating only warmth of the sun upon her face and neck.

-o-

Tripp continued to run until he reached the outskirts of Chicory Forest, his lungs ached and his legs had started to cramp, but he didn't care. He needed to punish himself for his failure. A failure. That's all he was now.

He cringed as he remembered the battle. He hated how weak he was, how his fear of a dream had created an obstacle in attaining his ultimate goal. He sat down, with his back against the trunk of a young birch tree, and hid his face in his hands.

All day Tripp stayed in this position, ignoring the growls and protests his empty stomach was making.

Although he hated to admit it, what stung the most was that Rose didn't lose, Rose won her battle, and it made him feel so stupid. He knew that he was perfectly capable of winning that battle, and that fact that he had lost was making his insides churn. But he couldn't have a re-match, not against someone he had lost to so drastically, in front of his best friend who had won the same battle with apparent ease, just minutes before he humiliated himself. Tripp shook his head in disgust.

"You don't deserve to be a Pokémon trainer" he told himself venomously, "real Pokémon trainers wouldn't crumble like you did…"

-o-

Rose was exhausted and close to tears. She had spent five hours searching for Tripp, in all of Fennel City, Hyssop Town and even around Hyssop Lake. He hadn't answered his phone, and so Rose concluded that he must have gone on further without her.

As this thought crossed her mind, she began to seethe with anger.

"How _dare_ he?" she thought mutinously, "how_dare_ he make me worry like this?"

She stirred the coffee she had bought at the Trainer's Lodge with a little too much force due to her anger, causing the cup to tip and spill.

She groaned and covered her face with her hands as she felt the boiling liquid soak through the leg of her jeans.

"I'll buy you another one" she heard someone in front of her say.

She moved her hands from her face - she couldn't believe it.

"_Tripp_!" she all but screamed, causing a few trainers to turn their heads in the direction of her voice and laugh. Rose appeared not to notice, but launched herself at her friend, enveloping him in a bone-crushing hug.

"Thank _God_ you're all right!" she exclaimed, hugging him tighter still. So relieved was she to find him well, that she had forgotten her previous train of thought. When she remembered it however, hell broke loose.

"You stupid _twat_!" shrieked, punching every part of him available to her at that moment.

"Ow! Rose! What the-?" Tripp began to say, startled by her sudden change in mood. He was interrupted however, by Rose's wild exclamations.

"_Firstly_, you ran off without a word, _secondly_ you disappear for the whole fucking day, and just to _really_ turn my hair grey, YOU WOULDN'T ANSWER YOUR PHONE"

She glared at him, her brown eyes glinting with rage, her curly hair wild and falling into her face.

"I-I'm sorry" Tripp started, "I know I was wrong, I-"

"WRONG?" she screamed again, Tripp blushed deeply, everyone in the café was now staring at them, open mouthed and enjoying the scene.

"Let's get out of h-" he began to say, but was once again interrupted by Rose, who was acting really quite deranged now.

"Not likely Tripp" she spat, "you owe me a coffee" she folded her arms over her chest, continuing to glare at him.

"W-what?" he asked her in confusion, wondering what on earth she was talking about now.

"My coffee," she said, in an unsettlingly calm voice, in contrast to her manic screaming moments before.

"You said you'd buy me another, and to be honest, I think I deserve it after today"

A bunch of rowdy trainers simultaneously called "Ooo!" at her. She silenced them with a look.

"Of course I'll buy you one" Tripp mumbled, willing to do anything in order to escape the café.

-o-

They set up camp in the same spot as the night before. After her initial screaming match, Tripp was finding it extremely difficult getting Rose to talk to him.

"Look, I've said I'm sorry, I don't know what else-" he attempted again.

"Tripp," Rose said, startling him, he hadn't expected his reasoning to work; "I know you're sorry. But I don't think it's particularly helpful if I can't trust you not to run off every time you lose a battle."

She knew this comment would cut him deeply, but she was beyond caring. She wanted him to feel some of the pain she had felt during the long and trying day.

Tripp opened his mouth, an angry response already formed. But then he realised that everything she said was true. But he had to tell her, to make her understand.

"I-I know," he replied dejectedly.

"You do?" Rose turned to him in shock where she had been unrolling her sleeping bag.

"You see, I was kind of feeling a bit odd all morning anyway"

Rose frowned as she pondered what he had just told her; she remembered his stifling silences and grey face.

"What's wrong Tripp?" she asked, her concern from earlier that day returning with full force.

"Last night…I-I guess I had a sort of nightmare" Tripp mumbled, blushing a deep crimson.

It was only due to worry and loyalty that Rose did not burst out laughing at this statement.

"What kind of nightmare?" she asked; deeply confused as to what could have affected her friend so much.

He took a deep breath.

"It wasn't particularly bad," he began slowly, "it's just those guys from the lake, they were in it, and…and their eyes, I dunno, it just really…affected me"

He blushed again, but raised his head, so that his bright blue eyes met her chocolate brown ones.

Rose's heart swelled with compassion for her friend, who had kept his concerns quiet due to the fact he didn't want to her to think less of him. She also felt a jolt in her stomach when they locked eyes, one that she couldn't quite explain. Confused, she broke the gaze and tried to change the topic.

"Tripp, about the battle…" Tripp himself looked away from her at this point.

"I know you could have won it easily" she told him truthfully.

"You do?" he asked, evidently surprised. Rose blinked.

"Of course! It was obvious you weren't yourself today, I just forgot about it in my worry…and anger" she added with a laugh.

"I suppose I'll ask for a re-match tomorrow" Tripp sighed, before saying "You need to learn to control your temper by the way" he rubbed his arm where he was sure her punch was going to leave a bruise.

"Don't be a wimp" she laughed at him, wriggling into her sleeping bag.

The word 'wimp' reminded Tripp of something he really wished he could forget.

"You don't think I'm a wimp do you?" he asked, frowning, "I mean, I know it's lame to have a nightmare-"

Rose interrupted him sharply.

"Tripp, you are not a wimp. The more I think about it, the more I agree with you. Those men _were_ up to something – and their eyes…they were odd. I know what you mean, they were cold…blank." She shuddered.

"They're not our problem Rose" Tripp smiled, looking her in the eyes again, causing her stomach to somersault most strangely, "that's what I've been trying to convince myself all day – are you all right?" he suddenly asked her, for she clutched her stomach in apparent discomfort.

"I just felt…a bit weird" she admitted.

Tripp looked at her closely, before shrugging.

"Maybe there's something going around?" he suggested, "might help explain why I felt so weird today"

Rose pondered this, but she didn't feel ill, just…odd. She didn't feel up for discussing it however, and so zipped up her tent.

"Doesn't matter, g'night Tripp" she said, feeling suddenly exhausted from the day's events.

"Night" she half heard him reply, before she slipped into a deep sleep.

-o-

The next morning, after a lot of (chocolate) milkshake, Tripp was feeling determined and confident. He and Rose had spent a long while discussing tactics and they decided that Weedle would be a better choice for the battle, due to its poison abilities.

When they entered the Gym for the second time, Elliot tried hard to conceal his surprise.

"Tripp?" he asked, smiling slightly.

This smile incensed Tripp, and made his desire to win burn all the more strongly.

"Yes. I've come for a re-match" his voice did not waver, nor did he take his eyes from the Gym Leader's.

"Okay…" Elliot replied hesitantly; most of the time when trainers demanded a re-match they were a nervous wreck – Tripp's confidence was making Elliot himself feel nervous. He shook his head in denial, of course he wasn't nervous. Rose was the first trainer he had lost to so easily in a while, but she was something special. There was no way her friend could do the same.

"We will use –"

"One Pokémon each, I know" Tripp finished, impatient to start.

Elliot narrowed his eyes; he did not like his battle routine interrupted.

"In that case, I choose Buizel" Elliot snarled, releasing his Pokémon from its Pokéball.

"Go Weedle!" Tripp yelled. Elliot raised his eyebrows at his opponent's choice, but didn't say a word.

"Aqua Jet, Buizel!" Elliot called almost lazily. The attack hit, but not critically, and Weedle was able to right itself quickly.

"Use your Poison Sting!" Tripp commanded; Weedle's attack hit Buizel squarely in the chest, but Elliot wasn't concerned, a Weedle's Poison Sting wouldn't damage his prize Pokémon too much.

However, as the battle raged on, Elliot's arrogance meant that he failed to notice something very strange; he knew that Buizel was poisoned, but didn't do anything about it, as he knew from experience that his Pokémon was barely affected by that particular attack. But Buizel was tiring, fast. It was so exhausted, that Weedle's last three Tackles had hit it. Before Elliot had time to consider what was wrong with his Buizel, it suddenly fainted.

Elliot was in shock. He heard Rose's scream of delight, and Tripp's laughter, as though they were very far distant. He heard a loud roaring in his ears, and his stomach felt like it was forever plummeting. He had lost. Lost because he was so sure he was going to win. Weedle? How could his Buizel, the Pokémon he had spent countless hours training, be defeated by a mere Weedle's Poison Sting?

He swallowed with difficulty as he remembered the League Rules. As a Gym Leader, he was not permitted to act grudgingly when defeated, but to accept that there would always be somebody stronger, and to use the experience to become improve his technique. He sighed to himself, before raising his head and smiling at the teenagers on the other side of the Gym.

"Congratulations" he said, pleased to find that his voice sounded normal, "I must say, that battle took me by surprise" he managed a smile. Tripp grinned back at him.

"My Weedle is quite the fighter" he told Elliot, beaming.

The Gym Leader frowned.

"It's true, I've never known Buizel to react so badly to a Poison Sting…from a Beedrill maybe, but never a Weedle…unless…" Elliot's eyes widened in comprehension.

"I don't let him evolve" Tripp finished for him.

"Wow. That's a very advanced tactic – I forgot it was possible" Elliot was impressed against his will. He had underestimated Tripp, but was rather glad he did so. He wouldn't be content with losing to a trainer whose skill was mediocre.

"I suppose I'm going to have to award my second Rapids Badge in two days" Elliot laughed, all ill feeling forgotten as he presented it to Tripp.

Rose smiled warmly at the animation in Tripp's eyes as he pinned his first badge proudly on his jacket.

-o-

It was fast becoming a habit of Tripp's to describe every detail of his latest battle. Rose was so pleased that he had won, and that they were finally leaving Fennel City (which she had grown quite resentful towards) later that day, that she was quite happy to let him chatter.

They found themselves once again in the Trainer's Lodge, where they stocked up on milkshake and bread rolls, and ordered a coffee each before planning the next part of their journey.

"And that last Tackle! I mean –"

"Tripp" Rose interrupted, "do you need to buy any more Potions before we leave Fennel? Because according to this map, we have to find our way through a small cave before we arrive in Jimbu City"

Tripp looked slightly disappointed when he realised he was no longer permitted to analyse his battle, but the prospect of moving on excited him almost as much.

"Yeah, I think I have enough! I want to get some more Pokéballs though, in case there are any Geodude in that cave!"

Rose pondered this; "There probably will be, Geodude isn't rare, it's just hard make it evolve"

Tripp ignored this, he didn't want to be put off having a Geodude – he had wanted one far too long. He drained his coffee before standing up.

"You ready?" he asked Rose. She too drained her coffee before nodding.

"Let's go" she smiled, as Pichu hopped from the bench to his usual perch – her shoulder.

-o-

It was about four o'clock when Rose and Tripp arrived at the mouth of the small cave, after having navigated their way around the considerable Hyssop Lake. As they entered the cave, a flock of Zubat flew low over their heads, causing Tripp to shiver uncomfortably.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked him, it was too dark to see very far in front of her.

"I don't like not knowing what I'm going to walk into" he told her, the back of his neck feeling very cold and prickly.

"I know what you mean," she said, looking towards the cave entrance wistfully, "but according to the map it's not a very big cave…I say the sooner we move, the better"

Tripp nodded in agreement, then realised she probably couldn't see.

"Yeah" he told her, taking a purposeful step forwards, "let's do it"

The teenagers moved very gingerly over the uneven ground, so as not to slip and fall. At one point however, the ground sloped, and Rose let out a shriek as she lost her footing. Fortunately, Tripp was close behind and managed to grab her around the waist, thus preventing the fall. The cave was pitch black, and both of them were shocked at their sudden proximity.

Tripp, in awe at his own daring, leant forward slightly so that his lips brushed Rose's. She jumped back in shock and embarrassment, believing it to have been an accident, and Tripp's heart sank.

"Thanks" she told him, extremely relieved that he could not see her blushing.

"What for?" he asked, feeling rather disorientated. Did he just try and _kiss_ her?

"For catching me" she told him, laughing slightly, "This place is a death trap!"

Tripp managed to laugh along with her, feeling more stupid by the minute. When they reached the end of the slope and the ground levelled out, Rose took his hand in hers. She didn't say a word, as she wasn't quite sure herself why she did it; she knew she wouldn't have dared in daylight. But she liked the feeling of his hand around hers; it was large, and very warm.

Tripp almost slipped over himself when Rose took his hand. He was so shocked that he couldn't bring himself to say anything. But he did let himself wonder…did she like him?

They continued to edge their way through the cave hand in hand. Tripp's mind had been working furiously. True, she didn't kiss him when she had the chance, but perhaps she thought it was an accident? She _did_ take his hand, and was making no effort to remove it…maybe now was the perfect time to tell her how he felt? The darkness, although it made him feel unsure with his footing, made him very confident that now was the time to tell her.

"Rose?" he asked, slowing his steps slightly.

"Yea-AAARGH!" she screamed, causing Tripp to jump backwards, and fall flat on his back in terror.

"W-what?" he stuttered, "what is it?"

"I don't know!" Rose whimpered, walking backwards and standing heavily on Tripp's arm.

"OUCH!" he yelled, yanking his arm from under her foot.

"Sorry!" she shrieked, bending down to where she thought he was sprawled on the floor.

"Geodude" something grunted in front of them.

They both yelled in fright, scrabbling to stand up when they heard the unexpected noise.

"Geodude?" it said again, as though asking what all the fuss was about.

"Wait…" Tripp whispered, "Is that what I thought it was?"

They were both silent for a moment, listening out, and grasping each other in fear.

"Dude, Geodude" the voice said again.

"A Geodude?" Tripp yelled, "I gotta catch it!"

He let go of Rose and began groping for his Pokéball belt.

"Hang on Tripp," Rose said, "there's something not quite right…why isn't it attacking us?" she asked, desperately trying to adjust her eyes to the dark.

"Geodude, Geo" the Pokémon grunted.

"What was that?" Rose asked, "You're trapped?"

"Duuuude" the Pokémon replied, sounding rather defeated.

Rose and Tripp fell to their knees, trying to locate the Pokémon, whose voice sounded as though it was coming from the ground.

"Here he is!" Tripp said, after having located the Pokémon due to its flailing arms, "I think…" he said, feeling around, "I think there's a rock on _top_ of it"

"Geo! Geodude!" the Pokémon told them anxiously.

"Your arms are too short to lift it off?" Tripp asked; pity in his voice.

"Dude" the Pokémon confirmed sadly.

"We'll help" Rose smiled, although try as she might, she was not strong enough to lift the rock.

"Let me help you" Tripp told her, but even with their combined strength, the rock wouldn't shift.

"It's no use!" Rose cried, "What can we do?"

The Geodude sighed sadly, it seemed as though it had been in this position for a long time.

Tripp hadn't given up however; he felt around the rock once more, judging how wide it was.

"The weight shouldn't be a problem" he told Rose grimly, "but it's tightly wedged between the wall and this huge boulder…"

"Neither of which we can move" Rose concluded in defeat. Tripp however wasn't so quick to give in.

"I assume it fell from above," he thought aloud to himself, "and I think if we move it in the right direction, it'll budge."

The pair tried once more, but Tripp realised that the angle the rock needed to move in, meant that only one of them would have the space to make the manoeuvre. He told Rose this and she frowned, not that Tripp was able to see.

"It had better be you then," she said, "you know you're far stronger than me"

As Tripp rolled up his sleeves and wiped his perspiring forehead, Geodude for the first time in nearly a month felt hope.

After half an hour of careful easing and shoving, Tripp managed to shift the heavy rock up between the wall and boulder, creating a gap large enough for Geodude to slip through.

"Geo! Geo! Geodude dude geo!" the Pokémon cried, wrapping its sturdy stone arms around Tripp, giving him a crushing hug. Geodude was so relieved to be finally free from its stone prison that tears of happiness rolled down its rocky face.

"Geodude!" it told them happily, and Rose laughed.

"Really? You can show us the way out?" she asked the Pokémon.

"Dude!" the Pokémon cried, willing to do anything to help the trainers that freed it.

Geodude took Tripp's hand in his own stone one, and urged him forward. Tripp grabbed Rose's hand with his free one, and the trio made their way unfalteringly through the cave. When they reached the exit, and went to say goodbye to the Geodude, it looked shyly towards the floor.

"Geo…Geodude" it sighed sadly.

"Why don't you want to go back to the cave?" Rose asked in concern, "it's your home!"

Tripp was watching Geodude intently, and had an idea. It wouldn't be right to catch it, as it wasn't so much a wild Pokémon to them now, and Tripp knew he wouldn't feel right subjecting it to battle.

"Geodude?" he asked, "would you like to-to…come with me? And…maybe…be my Pokémon?"

Geodude looked up at Tripp, and tears of happiness once again rolled down its face. It enveloped its new trainer in another bone-crushing hug, and Rose, laughing, had to prise the Pokémon off her friend, who she feared was struggling from a lack of breath.

With Geodude happily inside a Pokéball, Rose and Tripp made their way over the hill to the sprawling mass that was Jimbu City; their charitable act leaving their hearts light and their moods contented.

**Author's Note:**

**So Tripp finally got his Geodude! thank you to everybody that reviews! If you have an account, I will certainly try and reply to you!**

**Love A x**


	5. Chapter 5

Panting slightly, her face caked in dried mud and her long cape in tatters, she placed her hand on the Chamber door and stepped back as it allowed her - and only her - to enter. She shielded her eyes with her blood-stained hands to protect them from the eerie blue glow that the Chamber basked in. The brightness almost blinded her; her eyes had become accustomed to the dark after spending almost three weeks in this colossal cave.

Squinting through her fingers to navigate her way to the centre of the Chamber, Pascalia moved slowly forwards, hardly daring to believe it.

Suspended in mid-air and twinkling slightly was a large blue crystal the size of a plum. The light it emitted illuminated both the Chamber and Pascalia's pale face as she stepped towards it in awe.

She reached out a shaking hand to claim the crystal, the _Draco Silicis_, before narrowing her green eyes as she noticed ancient symbols inscribed on the wall of the Chamber itself. As she examined the symbols however, she relaxed slightly. This obstacle she could overcome with ease, unlike the many that had attempted to detain her from reaching her goal. She quickly translated the ancient language – Draconis – and deciphered the dire warnings given about the power of the crystal.

She smiled mockingly to herself as she reflected on the myth that surrounded Draconis, and the Draco Silicis itself. The dangers surrounding the myth, she had decided were irrelevant. They only applied to the weak, and weak Pascalia was not. With both this crystal, and the knowledge of the ancient language she possessed, Pascalia knew that her dream was ever closer. She reached out and took the Draco Silicis in her hand – and lightning struck.

-o-

As they made their way down the hill towards Jimbu City, Tripp, feeling confident, decided to question Rose on a matter that he had been going over in his mind.

"Rose?" he asked, as they weaved their way in and out of the thick, clumpy grass.

"Mhmm?" she asked, concentrating too hard to give more of an adequate reply.

Tripp hesitated, but then, in a burst of spontaneity decided to go for it.

"Why did you hold my hand in the cave?"

She stopped dead for a moment, unable to believe what she had heard. She then felt herself growing hot.

"Because it was dark" she managed to shrug nonchalantly, staring straight ahead, "I didn't want to fall"

Tripp observed her as she gave her answer, and couldn't help but beam when he noticed her pink cheeks. Rose risked a glance at Tripp, and was startled to find him watching her with interest. In her surprise she lost her footing, and tumbled the last few meters down the hill, her backpack bursting open and the contents spilling everywhere.

"Are you okay?" Tripp asked, as he crouched down next to her.

"Y-yeah…I think so…" Rose said, touching the back of her head gingerly where she bumped it.

Tripp began to gather her things and stow them back in her rucksack.

"Rose!" he yelled, concern evident in his tone.

"What is it?"

"Your egg! It's…moving!"

"D'you think it got damaged?" Rose asked fearfully, taking the egg from Tripp.

"I dunno," he replied, "it's not cracked or anything…"

"Take yours out," Rose suggested, "then we can compare them"

Tripp's egg too wobbled occasionally, and the teenagers relaxed.

"I assume they're just getting closer to hatching" Rose said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Seem to be!" Tripp smiled, "come on, it's almost six o'clock, I'm starving!"

-o-

"Next Gym's ground and rock type" Tripp said through a mouthful of rice, as he studied the poster on the wall of the Trainer's Lodge. Rose glanced up at it.

"Torston…never heard of him"

"I think he's quite new," Tripp told her, taking a swig of orange juice, "pretty good though I hear…some trainer at the till was saying he hasn't lost a battle yet…"

"Shouldn't be too hard for us," Rose frowned, "we both have a water type!"

Tripp's face darkened, the last time he had anticipated an easy win, it had gone horribly wrong. Rose noticed this change and hastily changed the subject.

"Come on! If you're finished we should get going, we need to get up early to train!"

-o-

The next morning, feeling well rested after their previous busy day, Tripp and Rose started the day by training on a flock of wild Pidgey.

"This is boring" Tripp grumbled, after each of his three Pokémon had managed to make a Pidgey faint with one move.

"Well, I suppose it is quite tedious…" Rose concluded, as her Horsea knocked out its second Pidgey in a row, "but there's nowhere else to train! Unless you want to climb that massive hill and train in the cave…?"

"Can we… not train for once?" Tripp suggested tentatively, "I mean, there's loads to do in Jimbu City, and we've only seen the Pokémon Centre!"

"Not train?" Rose looked at Tripp as though he'd suggested they run around the city stark naked and screaming.

"Well, yeah! This journey isn't just about battling…we have to have some fun!"

Rose frowned before smiling. To Tripp's surprise, she took his hand, and marched him towards the city centre.

-o-

"You're joking?" Tripp asked his friend in horror as she stopped in front of the elaborately constructed building, "a Pokémon _contest_?"

"It'll be fun!" she grinned, "and anyway, what did you think your mum made you pack a suit for?"

"But, it's…it's so…"

"So what?" Rose asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Well…_gay_"

Rose burst out laughing.

"You really think so?"

Tripp nodded.

"Do you mind watching me then?" she asked, smiling sweetly, "I've always wanted to take part in one!"

Tripp grimaced.

"Tripp!" she shouted, her eyes flashing, "List everything we've done today because _you_ wanted to, and everything we've done that _I_ wanted to"

"Okay, okay! Point taken!" he grumbled as they made their way inside.

He sat on a squashy chair in the foyer of the Pokémon Contest Hall, waiting for Rose to 'get ready' - whatever that meant.

Every now and again somebody very well dressed would appear in the doorway Rose had disappeared through. As an attractive girl in blue walked out of the doorway, Tripp checked his watch and sighed. Half an hour! He didn't know much about contests, but didn't see why it took over half an hour to prepare for one. He looked up; the girl in blue was standing in front of him, trying not to laugh.

"Were you ignoring me deliberately?" she asked, her lips twitching.

Tripp could only gape. It was Rose, but not as he'd ever seen her before. Her normally fly-away hair had been smoothed into glossy curls that fell below her waist, which for the first time was emphasised - she had discarded her usual jeans and jumper ensemble for a tight fitting, short sleeved, navy dress that flared from the waist.

"Wh…why are you wearing…_that_?" he managed to croak.

"What's wrong with it?" she asked, frowning as she looked down, "my mum packed it; she said everyone wore this sort of thing to contests…"

She began to blush self-consciously, making Tripp feel horribly guilty.

"No! I didn't mean that! You look…really nice"

Rose looked at him disbelievingly.

"No really, I-I mean it! I've just never seen you wear that sort of thing before" it was Tripp's turn to blush.

Rose laughed, "Why Tripp! I've made you blush!" she teased.

"Bugger off and get backstage," he muttered, "I'll be in the auditorium"

Rose smiled to herself as he slouched off towards the door on the right, before making her way through the one to the left.

-o-

"Ladies and Gentleman!" an old man in a bowler hat and bow-tie began; the murmuring audience fell silent.

"It's taken a while…but the results have finally been calculated!…in fourth place…"

Tripp crossed his fingers, but to no avail.

"Rose and her Pichu!" there was a polite smattering of applause, and Rose grinned from the stage and gave a little curtsy.

Tripp's mouth fell open in indignation; he turned to the elderly woman next to him.

"But she was brilliant!"

The woman looked at him rather strangely.

"She certainly looks it sonny, but I don't think I've seen a worse performance!" she chuckled hoarsely to herself.

"In third place…Cornelius and his Mareep!" the applause was this time more enthusiastic. Tripp sat back in his chair and crossed his arms grumpily.

"In second place…" the auditorium was now deathly silent (apart from Tripp whose huffy sighs caused the people in the row in front of him to turn around angrily).

"Emma and her Pachirisu!" the girls in the row behind Tripp jumped up for joy and began to shriek loudly and hug each other. Tripp growled; he hated girls, and was really very glad that Rose wasn't like that.

"Which means! That in first place…is Chelsea and her Shinx!"

A girl in a pale pink, frilly floor length dress gave an elaborate curtsey, causing the girls behind to scream, if possible, even more loudly.

"SHUT UP!" Tripp roared. Everyone fell silent as a sea of faces turned to look at him…

-o-

"I'm so sorry" he garbled as Rose walked out of the auditorium. To his surprise, she smiled.

"What for?" she asked, linking his arm as they made their way out into the sunlight.

"It was the one thing you wanted to do…and I ruined it"

"How did you ruin it?" she asked him laughing.

He stared at her blankly.

"Rose, I got _thrown out_"

"I know" she shrugged, "personally I found it hilarious"

"But didn't I ruin it for you?"

"Tripp, I came fourth out of four," she laughed again.

"I'm sorry" he mumbled, unable to look at her.

"Why are you sorry?" she forced him to look her in the eye.

"Because you lost…"

"I didn't expect, or even _want_ to win! I just wanted to take part!"

"…Really?"

"_Yes_!"

"Oh...but I thought-"

"I'm not you Tripp," she said, beginning to get exasperated, "I _can_ enter something and not have to win"

"Right," he grinned, "well I thought you were amazing" he blushed deeply as he looked into her eyes.

"Thank you" she smiled, not taking her eyes from his.

Tripp cursed inwardly. Did she not know the effect she had on him?

-o-

Once again, Tripp awoke after Rose, and was crawling out of his tent, bleary eyed, as she poured the milk over their cereal. He registered with faint disappointment that she had exchanged her dress for her usual jeans and jumper.

"I swear you do this on purpose you know" Rose said, as she handed Tripp a bowl of cornflakes.

"Do what?" he asked, his mouth slightly agape; her dark hair shone copper in the sunlight – he didn't appear able to drag his eyes from it.

"Wake up late so that _I'm_ always the one to make the breakfast" she said in mock annoyance, her brown eyes flashing.

Tripp however, continued to gape, and Rose looked at him with concern.

"I _am_ joking you realise…"

"I-I know" Tripp managed to stammer.

_Get a grip!_ He thought to himself.

"So," he began, and started to shovel down his cornflakes so as to avoid looking at her, "we training today?"

"Well," Rose said, after swallowing her spoonful of cereal, "I was thinking we should just…go for it?"

Tripp looked at his friend as though she were not quite well.

"You mean…you want to go to the Gym? Straight away?"

Tripp couldn't deny he was extremely surprised; it was very unlike Rose not to prepare as much as she possibly could for something – especially if she had the option.

"It's a rock and ground type trainer! And we both have a water type! We'll be fine"

"Let's get going then!" he grinned – the sooner they started walking, the less likely he would be to end up staring at her, he thought to himself grimly.

-o-

After they had packed away their tents, they wandered in the direction of the city - Tripp keeping his eyes firmly in front of him.

"May as well go to the Pokémon Centre before we head to the Gym?" Tripp suggested.

Rose nodded in agreement, "Good thinking!"

There was however, a hold up at the desk. A teenage boy and a young woman were arguing ferociously.

"- so ridiculous!" the boy was saying, shaking his head.

"No it isn't!" the woman shouted back, tugging at her short blond hair "you're just hopelessly narrow minded-"

"Narrow minded?" he yelled back at her, "Perhaps _you_ should consider that I happen to be aware when something isn't supposed to be taken literally-"

"It's a legend! Which means that it's partly based on fact!"

"Yeah, _partly_ being the operative word! You're wasting your time-"

The young woman screamed in frustration.

"I am _not_! You don't understand-"

"You _are_ wasting your time if you're stupid enough to believe in something as far-fetched as the _Draco Silicis_…"

The young woman leant in close to the teenage boy and hissed in his ear;

"You saw the news report! When lightning strikes Blackthorn City _three times_-"

"Hello there!" the boy interrupted, waving cheerfully to Rose and Tripp, who were standing open mouthed behind the two, "Sorry, did you need to get to the desk?"

"Uh, yeah, please" Tripp managed to answer.

"Are you Pokémon trainers?" the young woman asked, straightening her hair where she had tugged it out of shape.

"Yes, we are" Rose smiled.

"Excellent!" the teenage boy grinned, "I'm the new Gym Leader-"

"Dim Leader more like…" the young woman muttered under her breath; the boy glared at her before continuing.

"Yeah…" he said, sounding slightly put out "so… I look forward to your challenge!"

"You're Torston then?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, and this is my sister" he said, gesturing towards the blond, who had cleared her throat in demand of an introduction.

"Hi!" she said, offering a hand, "Cristine; I'm one of the Elite Four"

Tripp's jaw dropped, and Rose breathed "Wow".

"Mhmm! So, when you get around to beating this twerp (which I doubt'll take you too long) you'll be one step closer to battling me!"

Rose and Tripp glanced at one another, unsure. They weren't sure how to react the exchange between Torston and Cristine, neither of them having a sibling.

Cristine smiled at the dumbfounded pair before heading out of the Pokémon Centre.

"Bye Torston!" she called over her shoulder, "I've got some _research_ to do…"

When she had gone, Torston took a deep breath and turned to Rose and Tripp.

"Sorry about that" he said, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it," Rose told him, "Will we be able to challenge you today?"

"Sure!" Torston grinned, "Whenever you're ready! I'll be waiting!" he walked off, his hands thrust deep in his pockets. As soon as he was out of earshot, Tripp began to laugh.

"What?" Rose asked, confused.

"Poor guy! Must be embarrassing – being patronised by your sister in front of your future challengers"

"True" Rose agreed, as she handed her Pokéballs over to the Nurse, "Shall we get a coffee whilst we wait?"

Five minutes later they sat down with their drinks in the crowded Trainer's Lodge.

"What was Cristine talking about anyway?" Rose frowned as she stirred her latte, "What's 'Draco Silicis'?"

It was Tripp's turn to frown; "I swear I've heard of that you know…and didn't she say something about Blackthorn City?"

"Yeah…so?"

"Well, Dragon Tamers, they're meant to be really superstitious aren't they?"

"I dunno; don't really know anything about the Tamers themselves…all I know is that dragons are meant to be really difficult to train"

"Well, I think there _is_ some legend that Dragon Tamers swear by, but…"

"But what?"

"That's the thing; Dragon Tamers'll believe anything!"

"And Draco Silicis?"

"Can't remember! I swear it's something to do with it though…"

"Hey!" Rose exclaimed, "Didn't Cristine say it was on the news?"

They turned to the television that was suspended on the wall with brackets, and began to listen.

"- has announced that twelfth baby Psyduck has hatched at the Conservation Centre in Cerulean City, that opened earlier this year!" the newsreader allowed himself a smile, ("That's my mum's Centre!" Tripp said excitedly).

"Lastly," the newsreader continued, "the strange weather reports regarding Blackthorn City in Johto, have been explained by experts as 'results of air pressure' in this humid month. This was no doubt a disappointment for the many eccentric Dragon Tamers who were convinced the old legend was finally coming true!" at this the newsreader laughed. "That's all for now! Join us later for the news at six!"

"Well that was helpful" Rose grumbled, "he didn't actually say anything about the legend!"

"Clearly thinks it's a load of rubbish…"

"So does Torston apparently…you sure you can't remember it?" Rose pleaded.

"Nope – not a word" Tripp told her nonchalantly, "Come on! Our Pokémon are ready!"

-o-

Jimbu was a growing city and they had expected to experience some difficulty in finding the Gym. What they had not expected however, was to still be searching for it after three hours. Exhausted, they approached an enormous rock-face on the edge of the city and sighed. There was a rickety wooden staircase attached to the rock-face that made the top accessible. They had climbed this already however, and there was no Gym to be found in the large expanse of grassland atop the small cliff.

"Can't believe it," Tripp huffed, "that's the third person and the fourth sign to direct us to this place…"

"I know; it's really odd" Rose gasped; she was bent double, her hands on her knees, in an attempt to regain her breath.

"I give up," Tripp grumbled, "they must all be wrong"

He started to make his way back into the city, but Rose held up a hand to stop him.

"Please," she gasped, "just a couple of minutes". She sat down on the grass, resting her head on her knees.

Tripp was incredibly thirsty, and the last thing he felt like doing was sitting down in the sun. He was reluctant to start an argument however, so swallowed his retort and lowered himself down on the grass next to her.

"This is ridiculous" Rose muttered resurfacing, her eyes closed against the harsh sunlight.

"What is?" Tripp snapped, taking off his cap and wiping his sweaty forehead.

"That we can't find the Gym…" she leant backwards against the rock-face – and shrieked. No sooner had her back touched the wall, did the stone start to shift slowly to the left, revealing an uneven doorway, carved into the stone.

Rose and Tripp scrambled up from where they were sitting, and gaped at one another in shock.

"Well," Tripp managed to say, "I think you found the Gym…"

They peered inside, but couldn't make anything out; the darkness was impenetrable. Tripp remembered Rose's discomfort the last time they had come across a cave, and knew she would be incredibly reluctant to enter first – however, he also knew that she would rather die than admit this. Their friendship was such that he wouldn't tease her for it, just as she hadn't teased him about his recent nightmare.

Rose needn't have worried; as soon as Tripp's foot crossed the threshold of the rock-face, the hollow chamber filled with yellow light, emitted from the numerous black lanterns strung around the walls of the chamber itself.

At the far end of the cave sat a figure on a natural stone podium. The lantern light illuminated the teenagers, and the figure smiled as he recognised them.

"Hey!" he yelled waving enthusiastically, as he leapt lightly from the podium.

"Hi," Rose grinned back awkwardly.

"Did you have trouble finding the Gym?" Torston asked, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth.

"Nah," Tripp lied, noticing Torston's concern, "we, er- we've just been exploring the city!"

"Oh okay! Good!" the Gym Leader breathed, "I've barely had any challengers since I became the Leader, and I hoped it wasn't because my Gym's too well hidden…"

"Not at all!" Rose smiled easily, "are we able to challenge you now?" she asked.

"Both of you?" Torston asked, gobsmacked, "Awesome!"

"Hey," Tripp muttered to Rose, "don't mind if I go first do you?"

"Not at all!" she smiled, taking Tripp's rucksack and making herself comfortable on a boulder near the entrance, which had once again sealed itself. She wasn't worried about this battle; she knew that Tripp could win it easily, and was looking forward to watching.

"We're gonna use two Pokémon each…is that okay?" Torston asked, worriedly.

"Fine!" Tripp grinned, taking a Pokéball from his belt.

"Er- okay…go! Cubone!" Torston said, as Cubone was released with a flash of blinding light.

"I choose Psyduck!" Tripp yelled, and his duck Pokémon emerged from its Pokéball. Extensive training had made a noticeable improvement in Psyduck; its chronic headaches were now far less frequent, causing the Pokémon to lose some of its clumsiness. He stood now, poised and ready for battle.

"Use Water Pulse!" Tripp commanded; the attack hit Cubone, who reeled slightly, but nevertheless determinedly returned to battle.

"Bone Club! Now!"

"Water Gun Psyduck!"

The jet of water collided with the spinning bones, and they were veered off course.

"Again Psyduck!" Tripp ordered. Psyduck threw its head back and its Water Gun hit Cubone critically.

"Finish it off with Headbutt!"

Cubone, already extremely weak from the two water attacks fainted when subjected to Headbutt. Torston looked horrified, and appeared to have frozen, before remembering himself.

"Good job" he whispered to his Pokémon as he returned it to the safety of its Pokéball, "But we're not done yet! I choose you! Geodude!"

Torston's Geodude was quite unlike Tripp's. It was slightly larger, and its growl was much deeper. Its rocky arms too seemed much bigger than those belonging to Tripp's Geodude.

"Show it your Rock Throw!" Torston yelled, and Tripp gasped in horror as a shower of large stones rained upon Psyduck, temporarily stunning him.

"Water Pulse Psyduck!"

By the time Psyduck had righted itself, Torston had already ordered Geodude to use its deadly attack again, and Psyduck fell to the floor.

"Come on Psyduck! Water Gun!"

But Psyduck was losing energy, and only managed a feeble Water Gun, which the Geodude dodged easily.

-o-

Back from the action, Rose started to panic. This Geodude, she reckoned, must be close to evolving. Psyduck itself was a high level, and even its type advantage didn't seem to be working against the sturdy rock type Pokémon. Psyduck went down to another Rock Throw, and Rose cringed.

-o-

On the battleground, Tripp began to sweat freely. If Psyduck couldn't withstand this rock type move, what chance did his other Pokémon have? This would be his second Gym match that he lost first time…this thought made his face burn with humiliation. He _had_ to win; he would do _anything_ in his power to win. Reality hit him hard, _I can't win, there's nothing I can do, Psyduck's moves aren't making contact…it's over._

But suddenly, inspiration hit Tripp. It wasn't over – he had one last chance.

"Psyduck! Use Disable!" Psyduck, from where it was lying on the ground slowly opened its eyes to emit a neon blue wave, which the Geodude couldn't avoid.

"Rock Throw Geodude!" …but nothing happened.

Rose gasped, her eyes widening when she realised what had happened. She felt her heart swell with pride as she saw her friend and his Pokémon, connected by the battling that had strengthened them as a team. Psyduck, realising that its torture was at an end, gathered its remaining energy and shakily stood.

"Water Gun!" Tripp ordered. The jet hit Geodude squarely, and as it reeled in pain, Tripp realised the moment had come.

"Finish it off with your Water Pulse!"

The rock type Pokémon couldn't stand the two water type moves in a row from Psyduck, whose fresh determination made its attacks critical.

Rose screamed in delight as Geodude went down, and rushed towards Tripp before throwing her arms around his waist.

"That was _brilliant_!" she said, her eyes alight, "absolutely _brilliant_!"

Tripp could only beam; due to shock, he hadn't yet managed to regain the use of his voice.

They turned as they heard footsteps on the stone behind them, and saw Torston, who was smiling at Tripp warmly.

"I must say, I wasn't expecting that-" he began, only to be interrupted by Rose who Tripp noticed, with regret, had let go of his waist.

"Neither did I! I mean-" she began.

"However," he continued in a raised voice, so as to drown Rose out, "I can't deny that it was one of the most pulse-raising battles I have ever taken part in. The way you turned it around when I was so sure I was going to win it…that takes talent…and I'm pleased to present you with the Pebble Badge."

Tripp grinned at Torston as he took the badge from him, and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Good battle, man". Torston nodded, and was about to speak, when he was once again interrupted by Rose.

"So can I go now?" she beamed.

"Now?" Torston spluttered.

"Well, you_did_ say we could both battle you…"

"I-I know, I just need…Pokémon Centre…" Torston muttered, before rushing, pink faced, towards the cave mouth.

Rose raised her eyebrows at Tripp.

"You can tell he's new to this, didn't Elliot have a supply at the back of his gym?"

"Yep," said Tripp, sitting down on the stone floor and taking a swig from the water bottle. Rose sat down next to him.

"I'm really proud of you, you know" she said, smiling warmly into his blue eyes. He looked up at her, and gulped, his eyes wide. She leant over and pecked his cheek, before taking a sip of water herself. She continued to look at him, and it took him a moment to realise he hadn't replied.

"T-thanks" he whispered. She grinned and drank some more water; she hadn't appeared to notice anything odd about his response.

Tripp suddenly remembered the other cave, and how he had just been about to tell her how he felt, when she had slipped over, and the right time never came up again. But now…they were alone, and for once, they were silent.

"Uh…Rose?" he tried, becoming very interested in his hands all of a sudden.

"Mhmm?" she asked, turning towards him. He cursed inwardly as she smiled, and returned his attention to his hands.

"What is it?" she asked, frowning now. Tripp looked up; the frown he could talk to - the frown didn't render him speechless.

"I wanted to-"

"Back!" Torston called simultaneously. It took all of Tripp's self-control not to swear aloud.

Rose jumped to her feet, "Can I battle you now?" she asked, her voice high pitched with excitement.

Torston laughed, "You sure can!"

He walked towards his podium and turned to face Rose. Tripp sat on the boulder she had occupied earlier, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"Two Pokémon?" Torston asked.

Rose nodded. Her legs were tingling and she could feel the adrenaline coursing through her; the feeling only a battle could bring.

"I choose you! Horsea!"

"Go! Geodude!"

Rose started; she hadn't been expecting this. All the battle strategies she had planned had revolved around her warming up on Cubone as Tripp had done.

"Use Rock Throw!" Rose wasn't stupid, however, she had expected this.

"Dodge it Horsea!" Horsea's unusually high speed stat allowed it to do what Psyduck had failed to, and with ease.

What Rose hadn't been anticipating was for Torston to order the same attack almost straight afterwards. She wasn't fully prepared for this, and Horsea was hit, although only slightly, with some small rocks.

"Bubblebeam now!" the attack hit, but Geodude got up easily, only to launch another Rock Throw. Horsea was hit hard this time, and it was with a great effort that it managed to fire a Water Gun. To Rose and Tripp's astonishment, Geodude seemed to be affected very little by the second water attack, and went straight into a Tackle.

"Dodge it again Horsea! Use Twister!"

The dragon type attack did what the water one couldn't, and Geodude faltered when it tried to get up.

"Bubblebeam!"

"Rock Throw Geodude!"

The rocks popped the bubbles with ease, and before Rose realised what had happened, Horsea had fainted.

She returned her Pokémon to its Pokéball in silence. She closed her eyes in horror as she reflected on her stupidity. She had forgotten that Psyduck was a higher level than her Horsea, and assumed that because they were both water types, they would be able to withstand the same amount of damage. She considered her option, her _only_ option. Pichu. One electric Pokémon against two; rock and ground. She gulped. The battle was pretty much lost, and it sickened her. But she wouldn't forfeit. She would do everything she could.

"Go Pichu!"

Pichu erupted from its Pokéball and took in its surroundings; the Geodude was its opponent; its wide rocky mouth was stretched into a leering grin. Pichu turned to Rose, awaiting his first instruction. He became very confused upon seeing his trainer's face; it was white, her dark eyes wide and glittering…she looked defeated.

"Pi pi!" he squeaked, in angry exasperation.

Rose looked towards the little electric Pokémon and nodded.

"You're right," she whispered, "we can't give up…" she cleared her throat, and thought through one last battle strategy in her head. Her last hope.

"Pichu! Use Sweet Kiss!"

Tripp's mouth fell open in surprise; he knew Rose's contempt for inoffensive attacks, and could hardly believe what he'd heard.

Geodude however, to Torston's horror, attacked itself harshly, and closed its eyes in pain.

"Rock Throw!" Torston yelled; an edge of panic evident in his voice.

Geodude attacked itself again, and reeled, hitting the floor with a crunching _thunk_.

"Finish it off Pichu! Shockwave!" the attack was barely effective, but Geodude, thoroughly exhausted, was unable to raise itself, and fainted.

Tripp cheered from the side-lines, but Rose barely allowed herself a smile; she knew the battle was far from being won.

"All right! It's your turn Cubone!"

Cubone emerged from its Pokéball, spotted its opponent and began to spin its bones menacingly.

"Use Bone Club!"

"Dodge it! Use Sweet Kiss!"

Cubone, although confused now, launched another Bone Club at Pichu, who had to roll on the ground to avoid it.

"Pichu, use Charm!"

"Headbutt Cubone!" Pichu was this time unable to dodge the attack, but Rose noticed with satisfaction that the Headbutt had hardly left a mark.

Cubone, although confused, was all the more dangerous for it, unleashing attacks at every angle.

Rose knew that electric attacks would have no effect whatsoever on a ground type, so she only had one option; make Cubone attack itself, and keep Pichu out of harm's way.

"Headbutt!"

"Dodge it Pichu!"

"Use Bone Club!" But Cubone, like Geodude, attacked itself and was momentarily dazed. This gave Pichu a chance to catch his breath.

"Now Cubone! Bonemerang!" Cubone managed to aim at Pichu this time, who had to dive high in the air in order to avoid the attack.

"Use Headbutt!"

"Keep dodging!"

"Bone Club! Bonemerang! Headbutt!" Torston screamed.

Pichu, managed to dodge every attack by sprinting around the enraged ground type Pokémon, who in its exhaustion sank to the ground.

"Don't give up! Use Bone Club!" but Cubone was finished. It closed its eyes, before falling on its back. It had fainted.

Tripp was speechless. _Only Rose could win a battle using no offensive attacks!_ He thought in awe.

"Well," Torston managed to splutter, as he returned Cubone to its Pokéball, "twice in one day…and both battles I was so sure I had in the bag"

He let out an astonished chuckle, which developed into a full scale laugh, which left Torston bent double and clutching his ribs. Rose couldn't help it; she too let out a giggle. _You did it_ – she thought.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" Torston sighed, wiping his eyes, "it's just unbelievable - you two…the skill with which you turned those battles around…I'm speechless."

Rose glanced at Tripp and they smiled proudly at one another.

"And so Rose, I too present you with the Pebble Badge; and let me tell you, those were two of the most extraordinary battles I have ever participated in…and by the way," he added "When you meet Cristine at the Pokémon League, tell her 'hi' from me… and also tell her mum says she needs to move her boxes of clothes out of her bedroom."

He pressed the small round badge into Rose's palm, and still chuckling to himself, he wandered further into the cave and out of sight.

-o-

"Rose?" Tripp asked, as they were about to zip up their tents that night.

"What is it?" she asked.

"That was amazing today - your battle I mean"

She frowned.

"Thanks…but why do you say that?"

"Well, that thing with the inoffensive moves…it was ingenious"

She smiled a peculiar smile, and lifted her eyes to his.

"You don't give yourself enough credit," she finally said.

"Huh?"

"If you hadn't used Disable, I wouldn't even have considered trying the inoffensive moves…I would have forfeited. _You_ gave me the idea"

Tripp could only stare at her.

"You're a remarkable trainer," she said seriously, before zipping up her tent, "Night Tripp"

"Night" he smiled, his heart feeling curiously warm and light as he zipped up his own.

**Author's Note:**

**I'd love to hear your thoughts at this point **

**And can I just add, I have only just discovered that the name 'Trip' is already in use in the Pokémon world. *growls***

**My only defence is that my Tripp is based on somebody I know, who actually has Trip as a genuine nickname, and the 'original' Trip is from the Unova region, and therefore lame **

**Also, a special thank you to Coolevilshark and Anonymouswriter713 – your reviews make my day! Everyone else…come on, I know you want to ;D**

**Love A x**


	6. Chapter 6

At ten o'clock the following morning, Rose sat down, panting as she reached the top of the rickety wooden staircase attached to Torston's Gym. Tripp stood over her, his arms folded impatiently.

"Come _on_,"

"Shut up," Rose responded snappily, "in case you haven't noticed, your legs are rather longer than mine"

Tripp made the mistake of glancing at her legs; the hot weather meant the appearance of her shorts – and they were rather short shorts now he thought about it.

Rose raised her eyebrows.

"What are you staring at?"

"Nothing!" Tripp gasped, turning red as he turned away to look across the expansive plain.

He risked a glance back at Rose, whose face he realised was plastered with a most devilish grin.

"Oh, by all means, don't be embarrassed about looking at my legs" she smiled mockingly.

"I wasn't! I-"

"You what?" she asked, clearly enjoying his discomfort.

"Nothing," he muttered, "come on, let's get going"

Rose smiled to herself as she stood up.

-o-

Marjoram Plain consisted of knee high grass, which rippled and shone in the high winds atop the small cliff. Barley visible on the horizon was a colossal fence; so high that despite the flatness of the plain, the teenagers could not see past it. The grass was not easy to wade through, and after ten minutes in the sweltering sun, the sweat was pouring down their backs.

"My bag straps are cutting my shoulders" Rose told Tripp through gritted teeth.

He rolled his eyes at her, which didn't go unnoticed.

"What?" she snapped, her bright brown eyes narrowing.

"I didn't say a word"

"You rolled your eyes at me"

"Well you've done nothing but complain today!"

"We've only been awake for two hours!"

"Precisely; you know I'm not a morning person, I can't handle your whinging on top of it"

"Don't worry," she seethed, "you don't have to _handle_ it anymore"

She hitched her rucksack higher up onto her back, marching ahead and ignoring her stinging shoulders.

Tripp watched her go, but didn't make any effort to catch her up. He wasn't entirely sure why she was irritating him so much. After all, the only two things she had actually complained about were the fact that her sleeping bag wouldn't roll up properly, and that her bag was cutting. He shrugged, and followed.

-o-

After over half an hour of trudging through the prairie grass, Rose reached the enormous fence. Now that she had reached it, she saw the sign, the desk and the two people sat at it.

"Good morning!" called the woman, "Welcome to Marjoram Park!"

"Plenty of rare Pokémon just waiting to be captured!" the man told her, winking.

"How much is it?" Tripp asked, startling Rose; she didn't realise he was so close behind, being too stubborn to look back.

"Thirty Pokéloans, all you can catch!"

"Awesome! I'm in!" he laughed.

"Well you're obviously not going to catch all the Pokémon you _can_" Rose told him scathingly.

"Why the hell not?" Tripp asked, raising his eyebrows.

Rose sighed, incensing Tripp further.

"Go ahead then," she said, her voice infuriatingly smug, "have a bunch of weak Pokémon in your party…I'll look forward to watching your next Gym challenge."

Tripp turned red, and the man and woman at the counter exchanged amused glances.

"Are you two interested or…?"

"I am!" Rose beamed, her good humour restored as she registered the fury in her friend's face. She paid the money, took her Pokéballs and was granted access into the Park.

"And you sonny?" asked the man.

"Yes." Tripp managed to say through gritted teeth.

The woman tried in vain to stifle her giggles at Tripp's anger, but was soon silenced by his icy glare.

"Enjoy your time in the Park" she said, rather abashed.

Trip smiled genuinely now, pleased that he had the last laugh.

"Thank you,".

-o-

Rose studied the map of the Park. She was pleased when she saw how meticulous the layout was. Each Pokémon type was situated in a different area of the Park; rock, fire, poison and flying.

Swiftly calculating, she narrowed her eyes, before deciding just which type of Pokémon would complement her party. Decision made, she started on her course.

-o-

Tripp had decided on a fire type Pokémon. He already had water, rock and bug, and felt that fire was a power that he wanted experience with. There were rumours that the Champion of Sesame themself was a fire type Trainer.

When he reached the barren expanse of the fire type Pokémon's habitat he growled in annoyance. A few hundred yards to his left he recognised Rose; so she too was looking for a fire type.

He thought back to their argument this morning; he didn't really understand where it had sprung from, they had gotten on so well the previous day. He remembered how he had nearly told her his feelings once more in Torston's Gym, how striking she had looked in her dress, how just before they went to sleep she told him that he was a remarkable Trainer…he closed his eyes in horror and embarrassment.

"You like her too much you idiot," he admitted to himself. He really had to stop pushing her away out of embarrassment. He was hurting her, and she in return was hurting him.

"She must think I'm acting like a bastard for no reason…"

-o-

Similarly, Rose was considering her situation with Tripp as she picked her way around the rocky landscape.

"He thinks he's got one over me, because I bloody complimented him last night" she muttered to herself. She knew their relationship had gotten complicated ever since they had started this journey together, and she didn't like it. She wasn't entirely sure exactly how he felt about her, but she knew that she had always viewed him as a brother. She sat down heavily and sighed to herself as she realised what had to be done.

-o-

Tripp's spirits had lifted. He realised the problem between them. It was a simple matter of miscommunication. He always got cold feet whenever he went to tell Rose that he liked her, and that was the source of all their arguing. He was almost certain that she returned his feelings, and was therefore confident that she would accept his offer…to be his girlfriend. He became breathless as he thought of kissing her; it made his palms sweat, his back feel cold and yet the sensations weren't unpleasant but exhilarating.

He was following the tracks of what he believed to be a Houndour, and when he managed to catch it, and find her again, he would tell her how he felt.

-o-

"Thunderwave Pichu!" Rose cried, watching with gleaming eyes as the Vulpix slowed, her movements jolting and erratic. Rose held her breath as she threw the Pokéball, and squealed with delight as it clicked shut.

"Pichu Pi!" Pichu squeaked happily, jumping up onto Rose's shoulder and licking her ear affectionately.

"Way to go buddy!" she laughed, tickling Pichu's yellow furry stomach.

"Nice catch" Tripp grinned, walking towards her, a Pokéball in his hand.

Rose's smile faltered, but didn't disappear.

"Hello…gotten over yourself have you?" she asked curtly.

Tripp laughed, holding her gaze, "Sorry about that Ro, don't know what was up with me"

"It's fine" she smiled, not wanting to have 'The Talk' just yet.

Tripp too realised that this wasn't the time to tell her how he felt, and contented himself with the fact that they were talking again.

"So…you got a fire type too then huh?"

"You've caught a Pokémon?" Rose asked, her eyes lighting up.

"Houndour" Tripp stated, "took me ages to find the little bugger"

Rose laughed, "Was it an easy capture?"

Tripp lifted his left hand to show her a scorch mark.

"Yeouch! I'll dress that later if you like"

"Please; I'm clearly not used to fire types"

"We'll learn together"

They smiled at one another; friends again.

-o-

"Bug type" Tripp stated as he read the sign of the Marjoram City Gym, "shouldn't be too much of an issue"

"True; we'll need to stock up on Antidotes and things" Rose said thoughtfully.

"Our new fire types should come in pretty handy" was Tripp's gleeful answer.

"But we haven't really trained them sufficiently!"

"They'll be _fine_!" Tripp reassured her. He was far too excited about his new Pokémon to not use him.

Rose laughed at her friend.

"Shall we go for it then?"

-o-

The interior of the Gym gave off an immensely strong smell of soil. It was dank and dim inside, and unpleasantly warm, indoor trees casting strange shadows from the little light that filtered through the narrow, rectangular windows. Rose and Tripp made their way cautiously through the Gym, the walls of which appeared to have been made from mud bricks.

Hearing a rapid swishing noise, the pair turned to see a girl around their age, descending from the largest tree in the Gym via a rope. She wore short dungarees, and her purple plaits and face were streaked with earth.

"Welcome," she smiled, "I'm Fern, and I'm the Gym Leader of Marjoram City"

"I'm Rose, and this is Tripp"

"We're challengers" Tripp added.

"Sweet," Fern smiled, her hazel eyes twinkling, "who's up first?"

Rose and Tripp glanced at one another.

"I'll go?" Rose suggested.

Tripp nodded in approval, and took a seat to the side of the battle ground.

"All right, we'll use three Pokémon – that cool?"

"Fine," Rose smiled, taking a Pokéball from her belt.

"Okay, I choose Spinarak!"

"Go Horsea!"

"Spinarak! Constrict!"

"Bubblebeam Horsea!"

But Horsea was stuck, try as he might, he couldn't break the bonds of Spinarak's attack.

"Fury Swipes Spinarak!"

"C'mon Horsea! Use Twister!"

The attack worked, and Horsea managed to momentarily free himself. Fern however, was too fast.

"Constrict it Spinarak!"

Rose snarled in fury, but before she could react properly, Fern had issued another attack.

"Use Leech Life!"

Horsea was hit hard, but Rose knew what to do.

"Use Twister again Horsea!"

"Fury Swipes Spinarak!"

From the side lines, Tripp gasped. Horsea fainted, without even having managed to hit the bug Pokémon.

Rose took a deep breath to calm herself, before carefully making her next choice.

"Right Vulpix! Come on!"

"Spinarak! Constrict!"

"Use Ember Vulpix!"

The fire collided mid-air with Spinarak's sticky ropes, and burnt them to nothing.

"Now Vulpix! Show it your Flamethrower!"

"Fury Swipes!"

"Quick attack!"

"Constrict!"

"Use Ember again!"

Once again Spinarak's attack was rendered useless by Vulpix's fire.

"Finish it off with another Flamethrower!"

Tripp couldn't help but cheer when Spinarak fainted. He blushed however, when both girls turned to face him, eyebrows raised.

"Okay, fine." Fern said, selecting her second Pokéball, "I pick Shuckle!"

"Quick Attack Vulpix!"

"Shuckle! Withdraw!"

"Use your Flamethrower!"

Shuckle flinched from the strength of the fire, but returned to battle determinedly.

"Use Constrict!"

"Use Fire Spin Vulpix!"

Like Horsea, Vulpix's attack helped her to break free of her bonds, and she retaliated with another scorching Flamethrower.

Shuckle reeled; although Vulpix hadn't had much training, fire type attacks always proved powerful.

"Finish it off with Quick Attack!"

Shuckle attempted to hide in its shell, but Vulpix was too fast. Shuckle was hit critically, and fainted.

Fern didn't look worried; on the contrary, her mud stained face lit up in excitement as she chose her last Pokéball.

"Let's see how you cope with Dustox!"

"Great job Vulpix! Come back! Go! Pichu!"

"Silver Wind Dustox!"

"Thunder Wave Pichu!"

The attack hit and Dustox could only stay airborne with extreme difficulty.

"Thunderbolt Pichu!"

"Use Protect!"

Dustox wasn't fast enough due to its paralysis, and the electric attack struck it powerfully, leaving it with only minimal energy.

"C'mon Dustox! Use Psybeam!"

The attack was poorly placed, and Pichu managed to avoid the colourful wave with ease.

"Finish it with another Thunderbolt Pichu!"

Dustox was unable to dodge the attack, and with a supreme struggle attempted to rise. It was finished however, and fainted heavily upon the Gym floor.

Fern grinned as she returned her Pokémon to its Pokéball.

"Amazing!" she laughed, "I didn't expect you to be that strong at all!"

Rose blinked in surprise, rather offended. Fern, realising what she had said and how it must have sounded, back-tracked.

"Oh no! I don't mean you look weak! Just young! You must be what…sixteen? Seventeen?"

"Seventeen in October"

"Exactly! I'm only eighteen! You could be a Gym Leader if you wanted!"

"We're from Chicory Town," Tripp said, "there's no Gym there for us to own"

"Ah, I see. Well, I think you should seriously consider collecting all badges, and maybe even having a go at the League!"

Rose and Tripp smiled at one another.

"Perhaps we will," Rose said, her lips twitching with the irony of the situation. She had never really considered just how ambitious their aspirations were. They would never be happy being Gym Leaders, without at least trying to get to the top.

_We're similar in that way_, she realised.

"So, you up next?" Fern asked, turning to Tripp.

-o-

"Why don't we cook dinner tonight?" Tripp suggested; his spirits were light. He had managed to beat the Gym Leader using Geodude alone, and was still glowing from Fern's compliments.

"Cook?" Rose asked, as though the concept was alien to her.

"Yeah!" Tripp exclaimed becoming excited, "we could cook on a fire! And I'm sick of Trainer's Lodge food"

"I don't cook" Rose said flatly.

"Well I do" Tripp smiled.

"Really? Since when?"

"Are you honestly telling me that you didn't know I can cook?"

"You're having me on…"

"No seriously! Let's go…"

-o-

Rose gaped as she saw the bill for all the food they'd chosen.

"Seriously Tripp-"

"Rose. Be quiet. I've already said it's on me"

Rose bit her lip anxiously, but didn't say anything else.

As they walked down the road out of Marjoram City to set up camp, she couldn't resist.

"Come on Tripp! That was over 100 Pokéloans worth of food! Let me pay half…"

"Rose!" Tripp went slightly pink, "look, I don't want to say this, but you've driven me too it. I have a lot of money okay? My parents gave me eight hundred Pokéloans to set up a storage system, but you're right, a party is better if you only have six Pokémon. I don't want to rub it in, but I don't want or need your money! I bought things so expensive _because_ I was paying, okay?"

Rose chewed on her lip, and frowned before whispering, "Okay".

Tripp smiled at her, before setting up camp.

"So!" Rose asked, "What can I do?"

"Nothing, nothing! I want to treat you…make up for being a prat earlier"

"Don't be silly!" Rose laughed, "I want to help"

"It's fine, honestly. I can manage…"

"I know you can manage, but I_want_ to help!"

It was then that Rose noticed how wide Tripp's eyes had become; she laughed merrily at him.

"You don't trust me to cook do you?" she grinned.

Tripp smiled apologetically, "I like to do it myself"

Rose perched on a small boulder and cupped her face in her hands.

"Who would have known you were a control freak in the kitchen?" she laughed again, "Okay then chef," she grinned, her eyes twinkling, "I'll watch and learn"

-o-

"Why the hell did you never tell me you could cook before?" Rose managed to ask from where she lay flat on the grass, the hands resting lightly on her rather uncomfortable stomach.

Tripp sighed and lay down next to her, also feeling rather glutinous.

"My dad loves cooking; I've always cooked with him, ever since I was a kid"

"Well, you're bloody good at it. Those prawns…like magic"

"Nah, just chilli and lavender…you wouldn't think to put them together would you?"

"Never," Rose replied, "and the lamb?"

"Rosemary and honey, and a tiny sprinkling of nutmeg"

"Mmm…and the rice?"

"What about it?"

"It was so…fluffy"

"Trick is not to stir it, and I like to add a touch of cinnamon"

"You're a genius"

"Did you like the salad?"

"It was delicious, couldn't tell you what was in it though…"

Tripp laughed.

"I just don't understand how you cooked it all on a fire…especially the potatoes"

"Easy," Tripp shrugged, "I stuck them on a skewer"

"I know…but…"

"But what?"

"Dunno," Rose slurred, "it was so tasty…all of it"

Tripp smiled in contentment.

"That's why I love cooking, the appreciation you get"

"Unless it's disgusting" Rose laughed, "which is why I never cook. All that effort, and it tastes rank"

Tripp laughed too, "You make it sound like a chore"

"Well, it is"

"Nah, I'll show you how to cook properly"

"And how's that?"

"Aaah, it's complicated…"

"Well now I'm curious…"

"You should be…"

Their eyes were closing, the warm night air and their full stomachs together combined to make the perfect recipe for sleep.

-o-

Tripp awoke and checked his watch; it was four in the morning. The sky was a pale, inky purple, and their fire had recently burnt out, its woody scent mixing with the homely remains of his feast. Tripp sat up and stretched his back before glancing over at Rose. She slept curled up on her side, using her arm as a pillow, tendrils of curly hair framing her face. _Today I'll tell her_, Tripp decided, before lying down once more, watching the stars fade one by one as the sun slowly rose.

"Wakey, wakey! Rise and shine!" Rose called cheerily, a few hours later.

Tripp opened his eyes slowly and shut them immediately, to shield them from the glaring sunlight.

"Flamethrower Vulpix!" Rose commanded.

Tripp, in sudden terror, sprang into a standing position much to Rose and Vulpix's, amusement.

"Geez, I was only lighting a fire" Rose laughed, and Tripp realised she was holding two skewers, each with three sausages impaled on them.

"After last night I couldn't cope with bread rolls or cornflakes, so I ran to the shop to get sausages for breakfast"

Tripp, still in shock, laughed shakily and ran a hand through his tousled hair.

Rose put her hands on her hips, "Do you honestly think I'd wake you up by setting you on fire?"

Tripp had to laugh; it did sound absurd.

"No, I suppose not: now come on sous chef! I wanna see what you can do with those sausages!"

-o-

Tripp shuddered and wiped his mouth; it had only been half an hour since he had sampled Rose's cooking.

"I'm Sorry!" Rose said for what felt like the thousandth time, wringing her hands together in despair.

Tripp had to laugh in spite of himself, "Only you Ro, could have undercooked them on the inside and charred them on the outside"

"I'm so sorry!" she cried.

"Forget it-"

Rose shrieked as Tripp bent over and vomited for the fourth time.

"Funny," he croaked, his eyes narrowed, "how _you_ felt 'too full' to eat anything this morning…"

Rose's mouth fell open in surprise, "What do you mean?" she asked, detecting the accusatory tone.

Tripp raised his eyebrows at her, before stuffing his sleeping bag into his rucksack and setting off. He wiped his mouth again and shuddered. _Blatantly tried to poison me_, he thought darkly, _jealous because she can't cook_…

"Tripp!" Rose exclaimed, running to catch up with him, "I really hope you're not implying that I did this on purpose?"

He raised an eyebrow, and Rose saw red.

"What do you take me for? Do you honestly_, honestly_ think I'd do that? _Especially_ after you cooked for me last night _and_ refused to let me pay you?"

She frowned in disgust as he didn't respond.

"Well, you've seriously misjudged my character…"

Tripp realised with a grip of panic that he was being ridiculous, that once again, miscommunication had gotten in their way. Of course she wasn't jealous of his cooking, she'd been nothing but complimentary the night before. _Save this Tripp, now, don't be so stupid!_

"Hey!" he croaked, grabbing her arm, and smiling, "I'm only joking!"

Rose looked at him shrewdly.

"Of course I don't think you tried to make me ill" even as he said it he knew it was stupid, and he smiled genuinely. Rose, sensing this, relaxed.

"You're a better actor than I suspected" she laughed, "now let's hurry up and get to the Pokémon Centre; then we can buy some water!"

Tripp sighed in relief; that was a close one…he needed to tell her, the sooner the better.

-o-

"That's better," Tripp sighed, leaning back and closing his eyes, the familiar sounds of the Trainer's Lodge and a stomach full of warm food relaxing him somewhat.

"I really am sorry," Rose said again, after finishing her bowl of porridge.

"Not to worry – but I'll cook from now on"

Rose went to hit him, but gasped as the Pokémon egg in her rucksack by her feet gave a particularly violent wobble.

"What is it?"

Rose lifted the warm, weighty egg out of her bag, and examined it carefully.

"Is it hatching?"

"I don't think so," Rose replied with disappointment, "must be close to it though!"

"I really hope whatever Pokémon it is, it doesn't clash with my other types; you've got me hooked on the idea of having six different ones!"

"I know what you mean, I'm hoping it'll be psychic or something rare, but I doubt it. It'll blatantly be a water type, which we both have"

"Or grass, which I'd really rather not have"

Rose laughed, "My dad hated grass types – funny that they named me Rose really..." she mused, "He used to laugh at my mum, because she had a soft spot for the Sunflora in our back garden"

Tripp bit his lip awkwardly. It was very rare that Rose brought up her father, and he never quite knew what to say when she did.

"But your dad had an Ivysaur didn't he?" she enquired.

Tripp relaxed slightly.

"Yeah he did; he had to get rid of it though," Tripp laughed, "it used to uproot the garden apparently – drove mum mad"

"Shame he didn't keep it really, they're pretty strong Pokémon"

"He gave it to his younger brother, it's a Venusaur now!"

"Speaking of evolution, we should do some training! We haven't trained in God knows how long!"

-o-

Marjoram City was very quaint, but had an abundance of thick vegetation on its outskirts, which were perfect for training in.

"Geez Ro, Horsea is so quick!"

"I know," Rose grinned happily.

"Even quicker than Pichu!"

Pichu heard this, and zapped Tripp in retaliation.

"FUCK!" he screamed.

Rose, Pichu and Horsea laughed.

"Not funny," Tripp growled, turning his back on the trio and returning Houndour to his Pokéball.

"Lighten up!" Rose called, her eyes sparkling, as she returned Horsea to his Pokéball, releasing Vulpix in the process.

Rose and Tripp's strategy was to train two Pokémon at a time. This way, the training was faster, and the Pokémon also learnt one another's skills and weaknesses, which Rose insisted was vital for their development.

"Trust me," she told Tripp when he had first laughed at the idea, "my mum did a course in the developmental psychology of Pokémon and how it can affect their mental cognitions"

Tripp kept quiet after that. But Rose appeared to have been right once more; the Pokémon were quicker, sharper and stronger than they were when they had been trained on their own.

Tripp noticed this particularly with the combination of Psyduck and Weedle; perhaps because they were the two Pokémon he'd had the longest, they worked together best; either way, they were becoming a formidable team.

"Weedle! String Shot! Finish it off with Water Pulse Psyduck!" the Paras they had been working on fainted and fell back into the grass.

Rose stopped her own training to watch Tripp's. She marvelled at Psyduck whom she remembered bumping repeatedly into her knees when she first met him in her kitchen. Much stronger now, and with the almost complete absence of its chronic headaches, Psyduck was in his element.

"Tripp!" she shrieked, "Weedle's evolving!"

Tripp yelped and ran across the clearing towards Weedle, in order to distract him and put a stop to his evolution. The ruckus worked, and Weedle blinked up at his trainer confusedly.

"Wee?"

"Sorry buddy," Tripp said, letting Weedle crawl up his arm and onto his shoulder, "but I want you to have the deadliest sting there is when you're a Beedrill!"

"Weedly," Weedle muttered dejectedly.

"Of course you'll be a Beedrill one day!" Tripp said, looking to Rose for help.

"He's right Weedle! Surely you'd much rather be the strongest Beedrill there is and hang on as a Weedle for a little while longer?"

Weedle tilted his little brown head to one side, considering Rose's words, before nodding happily and nuzzling Tripp's face.

Tripp laughed as he stroked his Pokémon before returning him to his Pokéball.

"Shall we get some dinner?" Rose yawned, returning Vulpix to her Pokéball too.

"Yup, c'mon Psyduck!" Tripp called over his shoulder.

"Golduck"

Rose and Tripp stopped dead before turning slowly on the spot, to where Psyduck had been.

"Golduck"

"Oh, my, freaking, Lord" Rose breathed.

"Is he…mine?" Tripp asked, his mouth agape.

The Golduck stood in the grass, the moonlight reflecting off the red jewel in his forehead, his powerful webbed hands flexing, and his beak sharp and menacing.

"I…believe so"

"But how did this happen?" Tripp asked, unable to comprehend the situation.

"I suppose we must have been so eager to stop Weedle evolving, that we didn't notice Psyduck was doing so at the same time!"

"Geez…well…sorry buddy! I…I guess I missed your big moment" Tripp looked at Golduck guiltily.

"Gol Golduck. Duck Gol Golduck!"

Both teenagers laughed aloud, and Pichu screeched with delight.

"Of course you can eat with us!" Tripp chuckled, "definitely my Psyduck!" he beamed to Rose, who too smiled as she remembered the yellow duck Pokémon's fondness for human food.

-o-

That night as they built the campfire, Tripp was sweating freely. He was planning to tell Rose how he felt, and was going over and over in his head the best way to ask her to be his girlfriend.

Unfortunately, Rose had reached the conclusion that if Tripp did like her, it was only because he wanted their adventure to be a cliché - that they would fall in love and travel together; perhaps have a tempestuous argument only to experience a fantastic, romantic reunion. She shuddered; that wasn't for her.

"Tripp, I-"

"Rose, I-"

They smiled nervously at one another.

"You go first?" Rose suggested.

Tripp shook his head quickly, "No, you".

Rose looked him steadily in the eye, before taking a deep breath.

"Okay, well. I know things have been…odd between us," Tripp nodded encouragingly, "and well, I think we need to put a stop to it"

Tripp smiled, and opened his mouth to speak. Here it was, the perfect moment, and best of all, she had brought it up! Before he could say anything however, Rose shushed him.

"I don't want you to get the wrong idea Tripp, but…whatever feelings you have conjured up for me, well, you need to be rid of them"

_Conjured up?_ Tripp thought, _what is she talking about?_

"We're best friends, you and I, and that's all we're supposed to be. I think you invited me on this adventure, hoping that we'd have some…whirlwind romance, and well…I don't think we will, or…or should"

Tripp could think of nothing to say. He was pleased for the firelight, as it hid the fact that his face was burning crimson. All he could bring himself to say was,

"What do you mean 'conjured up'?"

Rose frowned at the question; it wasn't the response she'd expected.

"Well, we've said it enough times; you're like a brother to me, and I'm like a sister to you…I don't think you should invent romantic feelings for me because that's what you think is supposed to happen"

Tripp's mouth fell open, _she doesn't think I actually like her_, he thought, dumbfounded; _she thinks I've invented these feelings…_

Hurt followed this realisation. _She doesn't like me in that way, she thinks of me as a brother, and she believes that deep down I think of her as a sister_; the thought made his stomach wrench painfully.

"Are…are you okay?" Rose asked tentatively, he wasn't acting as she'd expected at all. She believed he would tell her she was being silly, that he didn't invent the feelings - that they _were_ real, but he didn't, and she couldn't understand why. She was so sure he wanted this adventure to be like every other that they heard about.

"Yeah…" he managed, pride making him speak, "You're right," the words tasted bitter, "you're right, you are like a sister to me…"

Rose smiled in puzzled relief; although it was a lot easier than she expected, she was confused. Tripp was more mature than she thought if he was able to admit his true feelings so easily, to get over this silly little notion of perfection that he had been planning.

"Well, that's fine then!" she smiled, as she bent over to unroll her sleeping bag.

Behind her back, Tripp's face fell and his stomach plummeted. He could never tell her now.

-o-

Tripp was subdued the next morning, but Rose let it go. She was impressed with his maturity the previous night, his not lying about his feelings. She therefore believed he deserved a little sulk, as they certainly wouldn't be having the type of adventure he had been hoping for.

Tripp felt hollow all throughout breakfast. He realised that even if he did manage to gather the courage to tell Rose how he felt, she wouldn't believe him. She was so certain that all he wanted was a story that he could tell with relish in years to come. He felt he could watch her freely now, as she didn't think he truly liked her anyway, but it only served to hurt him more. Her brown eyes were bright, animated; her dark brown hair caught the sun in its curling spirals, turning them to copper, and her ankle boots and shorts only served to emphasise her smooth brown legs. Tripp let out a sigh. Rose noticed, but held her tongue, talking in a cheery monologue the whole morning, before their bags were packed and they were finally on the road again.

**Author's Note:**

**Poor old Tripp **** I'd love to know what you think! I thought the evolution of Psyduck would be some tangible proof as to how good at training this pair seem to be! I'd lovre to hear any of your thoughts **

**Love A x**


	7. Chapter 7

Pascalia awoke flat on her back in the middle of an unfamiliar field, and narrowed her eyes against the rising sun. She sat up slowly and pressed her fingers to her temples in an attempt to calm her raging headache. She looked around slowly and frowned as she realised she wasn't aware of her surroundings. Cursing inwardly she stood and arranged her cape so that it covered her lithe frame properly.

The field she was standing in was a little way outside of a town, and Pascalia angrily made her way towards it.

"Stupid girl," she muttered to herself. It wasn't that she wasn't strong enough to handle the powers of the Draco Silicis, she _knew_ that she was, in her veins ran the blood of the noble Dragon Tamers…it was simply a lack of food that rendered her weak. Yes, that was all.

-o-

"Look! What's that?" Rose asked excitedly as they approached Lovage Town. The town was filled with brightly coloured tents, the aroma of candy-floss and popcorn filled the warm, sultry air.

Tripp only shrugged, but Rose pretended that she found nothing strange in his response. They approached a battered, wooden sign that had been tied to a fence outside the Pokémart.

"Lovage Town Fair; 21st -31st of August" Rose read, turning to her friend excitedly, "isn't this cool?!" she asked, beaming.

Tripp shrugged again, before realising that he was behaving miserably, "Pretty cool I suppose…"

Rose looked at him expectantly, "Well…did you want to explore?"

"Yeah I guess," Tripp tried to smile, but only managed a pained grimace.

Rose sighed inwardly; _at least he's trying…_

-o-

Tripp appeared to have cheered up after they had bought a toffee apple each, and after Golduck won him both a Dragon Scale and a Fire Stone by shooting clay pots off a stand using his uncannily accurate Water Gun.

"Look!" he managed through a mouthful of toffee apple, "a fortune teller's tent!"

Rose rolled her eyes in disdain, "Really?" she asked.

"What?" Tripp asked defensively.

"Surely you don't believe in that rubbish?" Rose asked laughing.

Just then a young woman walked gracefully out of the tent, smoothing her burgundy cape before making her way towards the edge of town.

The teenagers followed her with their eyes.

"Did you see-" Rose started, but Tripp cut across her.

"She's…beautiful"

He had never seen anybody quite like her, her frame was tall and willowy, and she moved with unusual grace. Her hair was long and lilac in colour; slightly iridescent in the light of the setting sun and luxurious and thick, completely straight with a centre parting that framed her exquisite face.

"She was…" Rose agreed, "But did you see her eyes?"

Tripp frowned, "No, why?"

Rose furrowed her brow as she thought, watching the young woman's back as she made her way out of the town's boundaries towards the road.

"Well, maybe it was a trick of the light…"

"What?!" Tripp asked impatiently, his toffee apple forgotten.

"Her pupils." Rose said simply, "they were slitted"

"Huh?"

"You know…like cat Pokémon have, or… or Dragon Pokémon"

Tripp considered this, "You sure Ro? She looked human to me"

Rose allowed herself a laugh.

"You're right I suppose, fancy a coffee?"

-o-

_Stupid woman_, Pascalia thought savagely to herself as she wandered down the road towards Rue Town. She pulled her cloak more tightly around her; she was cold, despite the fact it was late August.

She scowled to herself once more as she regarded the incident with the fortune teller. She had entered the small circular tent with the hood of her cape covering her face. The little old woman had stood suddenly when she entered, and looked at her fearfully. Pascalia had recoiled in disgust as she noticed just how many piercings the woman had on her face; pain of any kind was abhorrent to her. The woman had closed her eyes and spoken in a strange language, holding her palms up to the young woman, as though holding her back.

"Puterea de cristal, mă schimb ..."

Pascalia had frowned, and lowered her hood so as to see more clearly. The tent was dark, and smelt overwhelmingly of incense. Pascalia, despite her recent change in body temperature, grew too hot.

-o-

Afina gasped as the young woman lowered her hood. She was stunning, there was no denying that. Her perfect features complimented each other, and her pale lilac hair was thick and strong, glowing orange in the firelight. But despite the perfect shape of her almond eyes, they terrified Afina more than she had ever been terrified in all her seventy years of reading futures. There was no white to her eyes. They were a sinister golden yellow, and her pupils were slitted - like a Dragon's.

Afina was no fool, she had sensed the overwhelming power of the blue crystal as it entered the tent with the young woman, but she had no idea just how enchanted the young woman had become by it.

It was all true then. Afina closed her eyes in horror; the old legend was coming true.

-o-

"Who was she I wonder?" Rose asked as she stirred her coffee.

"Pipi!" Pichu squeaked as he happily tucked into a poffin.

All of the other Pokémon agreed with the little electric mouse.

"I suppose you're right," Tripp said, slurping his cappuccino, "never seen anybody from around here dress like that"

"I still think she's a Dragon Tamer"

Tripp laughed, "Where's the proof in that?"

"Well, she had a cape! And her eyes…"

"Rose, will you forget about her eyes? Even if they were slitted (which I highly doubt) that doesn't mean she's a Dragon Tamer! I know they're weird people, but they don't _look_ like Dragons!"

Rose sulked as she finished her coffee.

"Shall we train?" Tripp asked tactfully.

"Good plan!" Rose smiled, "I want to train Vulpix more, and I _know _Horsea's getting closer to evolving!"

Dispute forgotten, they made their way into the fields outside Lovage Town.

-o-

Night was falling, and Pascalia still hadn't reached Rue Town, despite the fact that it should have taken her no more than an hour to walk it. In her anger at the fortune teller, she had forgotten to buy food in Lovage Town. She was now stranded between Lovage and Rue, without the energy to either go back or go on. Although the evening was warm, her hands felt like ice, and she shivered uncontrollably in her burgundy cape.

She had been sat on the side of the road for more than two hours when she heard footsteps. A young girl was walking determinedly down the road; her eyes straight ahead, she hadn't noticed Pascalia.

"Excuse me!" she called. The girl started, and frowned into the gloom, where she saw Pascalia, sat alone on the side of the road. Her voice was harsh and cold, and Chelsea was unsure what to do.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you"

Pascalia smiled and Chelsea relaxed. The woman was so pretty; surely she couldn't be a threat.

She took a step closer to the Dragon Tamer.

"Are you all right? Have you hurt yourself?"

"No, thank you dear," the word slipped off her tongue awkwardly, but she needed this girl's trust, "I'm just rather hungry, do you have anything to eat?"

Chelsea sat beside the young woman, and offered her the provisions she had bought in Lovage.

As Pascalia devoured the crisps and bottle of water, she decided she should act more politely. Chelsea's bag she noticed was adorned with ribbons that she had presumably won in contests.

"Do you participate in Pokémon contests?" Pascalia asked.

"Yes," Chelsea exclaimed, and her face lit up, "I'm not sure which I want to make my career, battling or performing"

Pascalia looked up, and Chelsea gasped as their eyes locked; she couldn't bring herself to look away from the horrific sight.

"Pick whichever career will make you more powerful" she whispered seductively.

"I'd like to be powerful" Chelsea repeated, entranced.

"I could offer you a job," Pascalia continued to whisper, "a career that would make you incredibly powerful…"

-o-

Rose had a hard time rousing Tripp the following morning. They had trained until almost midnight and their Pokémon were growing ever stronger. Early on in the training session, Rose caught herself an Oddish. Weedle once again attempted to evolve, and much to his disappointment, Tripp had once again prevented it.

"C'mon Tripp!" Rose yelled impatiently. It was quarter to nine, and he hadn't left his tent. They had normally packed up and were on the road by half past eight. Early morning trainers had started to walk past their camp, and Rose was becoming self-conscious.

"I've prepared breakfast and everything! All you need to do is eat it and I'll pack away your tent!"

Tripp finally emerged, bleary eyed and tousle haired.

"Morning," Rose grinned, adding as she took in his appearance, "sleeping beauty…"

Tripp didn't even smile at the jibe, nor did he say anything as he sat down and began to eat his bread rolls. Rose supressed the urge to slap him and she moved to pack away his tent and sleeping bag.

_He's bound to be disappointed, _she thought, _but I can't deny I'm going to get pissed off if it carries on much longer… _

-o-

Tripp had said all of about ten words when they left the Pokémon Centre, and these had been all but forced from him by Rose.

_I just need to distract him again_; she thought tiredly, _he was better yesterday when we had the fair to talk about…_

Unfortunately it was the first of September, and the fair was being packed away, the tents collapsed and the food stands wheeled into lorries, waiting to travel to the next region.

Rose groaned to herself as she anticipated the hour walk to Rue Town, which with a silent companion was going to be undoubtedly tedious.

"Did you fancy training again on the way?" Tripp asked, surprising Rose, but also irritating her.

_So it's all right to talk when you fancy it, is it?_ She though mutinously.

"I'd like to, yeah" she replied. Fortunately, Tripp didn't realise that her tight smile was rather forced.

-o-

Over an hour later, eyes wide, Rose and Tripp watched in fascination as Horsea, after an exhilarating battle with a Weepinbell, had started to evolve.

The little seahorse Pokémon was bathed in blinding light, before he started to contort strangely, growing first bigger, then smaller, wider, and then narrower. Again and again this happened, with increased speed until at last the light faded, and before them was Seadra, now almost as tall as his trainer, and looking rather shell-shocked.

Rose ran forward to embrace her Pokémon, tears of happiness in her brown eyes.

"Hor- I mean Seadra! Look at you!"

"Draaa!" he replied, happy now he realised what had just happened.

Vulpix, Pichu, Weedle and Geodude looked upon Seadra with awe, before remembering that he was still their friend Horsea. With that, they too rushed forward and embraced the newly evolved Pokémon.

"A lot bigger than Horsea isn't he?" Tripp stammered, gobsmacked.

"I know!" Rose exclaimed, her eyes still wide from shock.

"Well…I guess we should…get going?" Tripp suggested.

"Not so fast!" a strange voice called.

Rose and Tripp looked up to see who had spoken. Tripp thought that he recognised the girl, but he couldn't think where on earth from.

"Rose isn't it?" she asked, a Pokéball in her hand.

"Yes…" Rose's frown suddenly disappeared, as though she had realised something. Tripp wished she would share it, he was rather confused.

"I just saw your little evolution," she sneered, "let's hope you're better at battling than you are at performing!" she laughed mockingly, "I choose you! Shinx!"

"You're on Chelsea," Rose snarled, "Go Seadra! Twister!" she commanded.

Tripp stood back to let the battle commence; he knew Rose well enough to know he didn't want to be anywhere near her firing line when she was this angry. And the girl, Chelsea, he remembered now - she had won the Pokémon contest in Jimbu with her Shinx. She was the girl that had been wearing the ridiculous frilly dress. It was no wonder he didn't recognise her, she looked almost normal in her jeans and t-shirt. Except for the ridiculous pink bows she still wore in her long, dark blond hair.

"Thundershock Shinx!"

The attack hit Seadra squarely, but having just evolved, it barely affected him, despite the type disadvantage.

"Bubblebeam Seadra!"

Before Shinx had righted itself, Rose ordered him to use Twister once again, and Shinx fainted.

Chelsea growled, "Think you're clever do you? I choose you! Snubbull!"

Tripp blinked, he had genuinely never seen such an ugly looking Pokémon. Short, stout and sickly pink, it suited Chelsea perfectly, he thought.

She caught his stare and mistook his disgust for admiration.

"I see you like my Pokémon - rare isn't he?" she grinned smugly, "Snubbull! Use Thunderfang!"

Seadra reeled in pain from the attack; Snubbull was clearly a higher level than Shinx.

"Again Snubbull!"

"Dodge it Seadra! Show it your speed!"

The attack missed, once, twice, three times, and Snubbull grew weary.

"Now Seadra! Water Gun!"

"Tackle it Snubbull!"

Seadra was too quick however, and Snubbull staggered, exhausted.

"One more Water Gun!"

And Snubbull fainted at last. Chelsea's eyes bulged in shock now that two of her Pokémon had been defeated.

Rose watched Seadra with concern. He was tiring fast, even before Chelsea's Pokémon they had been training for about an hour, he was close to fainting.

"Go! Smoochum!"

Tripp couldn't help but laugh at the little Pokémon; even Rose allowed herself a smile, it did look rather ridiculous with its oversized lips and blond hair.

"Come back Seadra! Go! Vulpix!"

"Use Confusion!"

Vulpix jumped backwards and managed to avoid the attack.

"Flamethrower Vulpix!"

The attack hit Smoochum critically, and to Chelsea's fury, being part ice type, Smoochum fainted in one.

"Whoa!" Tripp yelled, "Go Vulpix!"

Chelsea threw him a look of pure hatred, before turning back to the battle.

"See how easily you can deal with Staryu!"

"Come back Vulpix! Go! Oddish!"

Oddish jumped from foot to foot, eager to participate in her first battle.

"Use Mega Drain!"

The attack hit, but to Rose and Tripp's astonishment Chelsea called smugly,

"Recover Staryu!" the starfish Pokémon glowed an array of colours, before righting itself, fully healed.

"Now use Bubblebeam!"

"Don't give in Oddish! Use Absorb!"

Staryu was too quick however, and the attack missed.

"Show it your Water Gun Staryu!"

"Petal Dance!"

Once more Staryu managed to dodge the attack, and Oddish, unused to battling, began to weaken.

"Use Rapid Spin Staryu!"

Rose gasped in shock as Oddish faltered and fell, unable to withstand the attacks of the higher level water type Pokémon.

Chelsea shrieked in delight as Rose was forced to return the weed Pokémon to her Pokéball.

"Stupid bitch," Tripp muttered to his friend, "you've taken down three of her Pokémon, yet she almost wets herself in delight because her stupid starfish managed to dodge a few attacks…"

Rose allowed herself a small smile, touched by Tripp's loyalty.

"Let's see how she copes when we really get started," she whispered to him.

"Let's do it Pichu!"

Chelsea smirked when she saw her new opponent.

"A Pichu?" she laughed.

Pichu's cheeks fizzled with angry electricity.

"You think your electric rat's gonna beat my Staryu?"

"Probably," Rose grinned nonchalantly.

Chelsea scowled at the response, and sprang into action.

"Use Rapid Spin!"

"Show it your Agility Pichu!"

Pichu whizzed out of sight, much to Staryu's confusion.

"Bubblebeam Staryu!"

"Pichu! Use Pound!"

Chelsea shrieked with laughter.

"Too much of a baby to know any electric type moves Pichu?" she sneered.

"Yeah, that's right!" Rose called casually, "Pichu! Use Sweet Kiss!"

"Dodge it Staryu! Use Water Gun!"

"Use Agility!"

"Use Rapid Spin!"

"Pichu! Pound!"

"Staryu! Recover!"

Rose smiled, she had been waiting for this.

"Okay Pichu! Enough playing around! Use Thunderbolt!"

Chelsea raised her eyebrows in disbelief, but her disbelief only lasted a split second.

"_Chuuuuuu_!"

Pichu squeezed his eyes shut in intense concentration, and Chelsea's mouth fell open. Even Rose was taken aback; she had never known Pichu's Thunderbolt to be so powerful.

There was no hope for Staryu, who lay motionless in the road. Chelsea didn't even appear to notice; she just stared, astounded, at the tiny electric Pokémon before returning Staryu wordlessly to its Pokéball. She blinked rapidly, before lifting up her rucksack and running as quickly as she could towards Rue Town.

-o-

When Rose and Tripp eventually reached Rue Town themselves, they made their way straight to the Pokémon Centre for a reviving cup of coffee and a sandwich.

"Who did she think she was?" Tripp exclaimed angrily, as the pair sat down.

Rose laughed cheerily, "Don't know why you care so much – I thrashed her"

"I know but still! She was so…"

"Stupid?" Rose offered.

Tripp chuckled, "Can't deny that".

-o-

"I'm getting bored of towns," Tripp sighed, "I want to challenge another Gym!"

"I know what you mean," Rose agreed, picking at her ice-cream.

Despite the fact that they had only eaten lunch a couple of hours ago, Rose and Tripp, in their boredom, found themselves sat in the sun outside an ice cream Parlour. Tripp, cramming the last of his chocolate sundae into his mouth looked over at Rose.

"Another?"

"We've already had two each!"

"…so?"

"Toffee please" she grinned.

-o-

"If only my mum could see me now" Tripp groaned.

Rose giggled; Tripp's mother was incredibly healthy, so much so that she had become a vegan in the last couple of years, much to Tripp's disgust.

"You've got chocolate all around your mouth" Rose tutted, leaning across the table to dab at it with her napkin. Tripp eyed her shrewdly.

"Well everyone knows _that's_ the oldest trick in the book"

Rose tilted her head questioningly.

"What is?"

"You know…" Tripp grinned cheekily.

"I really don't" Rose replied shortly; she reckoned she knew where this was heading.

"I know you just wanna get closer to me" Tripp raised his eyebrows suggestively, but adopted a look of guilt when he saw the fury rising in Rose's eyes.

She opened her mouth to argue, when she was interrupted by a large _crack_.

Tripp yelped in fright and Rose jumped backwards in alarm. The tables outside the ice cream parlour were deserted, but the crack was incredibly loud, and far too close for comfort.

"W-what was that?" Rose stammered, looking around her.

Before Tripp could answer, there was another resounding _crack_.

"Look!" Tripp gasped, pointing to where their rucksacks lay discarded on the ground, "they're…_moving_"

Both teenagers hurried to unzip their bags, where they found to their excitement, that both of their eggs had cracked down the centre, and the baby Pokémon inside were struggling to free themselves.

"Let's put them on the table" Rose whispered, her brown eyes wide.

Tripp nodded in agreement, and the teenagers watched in wonder as little by little, small fragments of shell fell away from the pinkish-white eggs.

After fifteen tense minutes, their Pokémon finally emerged. They were identical, and stood shakily on their tiny legs, shaking their heads and causing their long ears to flap, as though disorientated. Each baby Pokémon turned to gaze at their new trainer, before squeaking simultaneously:

"Eevee?"

"Wow" Rose grinned.

"They're so cute!" Tripp squealed, surprising himself.

Rose laughed before picking up the tiny fox-like Pokémon and nestling it to her cheek.

"They're so warm! And soft!" she crooned.

Tripp began to laugh as his Eevee licked his nose in earnest. Rose's Eevee squirmed until it was placed on the table top, where it began to lick the remnants of toffee ice cream.

"Pichu!"

Pichu jumped from Rose's shoulder onto the table top, where he made his acquaintance with the two new Pokémon.

"Eevee's pretty rare, isn't it?" Tripp asked.

"I think so!" Rose answered.

"And it can evolve into three different types!"

"Something like that," Rose agreed, giggling as Eevee nibbled her fingers.

"Wouldn't you feel criminal training them? They're so teeny!"

"I know…I suppose we have to start somewhere though"

"Rose!" Trip yelled in shock, his blue eyes wide, "I won a fire stone at the fair! _I could have a Flareon!_"

Rose bit her lip worriedly.

"But you just caught a Houndour…maybe you should wait?"

The excitement faded from Tripp's eyes.

"I suppose…what other types can it evolve into?"

Rose frowned in concentration.

"Well, definitely water, fire and electric…"

"What do you mean 'definitely'?"

"Well, there are rumours that people have managed to get Eevee to evolve into psychic and dark types…but I don't know how true that is…"

"Dark?! But…wow!"

"I'm not sure it's true…and God only knows how you do it without a stone…have you ever heard of a dark or psychic stone?"

"Nope," Tripp frowned, "never".

"Well, we'll have to look into it at some point…shall we get dinner?"

"Now?!"

"Well, it's six o'clock"

"We just had three ice cream sundaes each!"

"I know, but I don't want to break our routine!" Rose laughed.

Tripp rolled his eyes, but gathered Eevee and his rucksack in his arms, and followed her nonetheless.

-o-

As they were setting up their tents that night Tripp, to Rose's irritation, had become quiet and sullen once more. She couldn't see why, as during the day he'd acted perfectly normally. It annoyed her, as she knew it was about the fact she wouldn't force herself to like him as he had done, and so felt they couldn't talk about it. It was therefore rather huffily that she unzipped her tent and wriggled into her sleeping bag.

"What's the matter?" Tripp asked, confused.

"Nothing!" Rose sang in a falsely cheery voice, rolling her eyes.

"What is it?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbow so as to see into her tent better.

"It's nothing Tripp."

"Please tell me?"

"It _doesn't matter_"

Tripp flinched; her tone was uncharacteristically harsh.

"Well now you're worrying me"

"I'm just tired."

She sat up and pulled her hair into a ponytail.

"…What?" she asked; Tripp was looking at her most strangely.

He smiled slightly.

"Nothing," he said, before lying down.

"Tripp…" Rose started warningly.

"What?"

"Just tell me!"

"Tell you what?"

Rose started to reply, but caught herself in time. _Exactly_, she thought, _what? 'Why were you looking at me funnily Tripp?' No, I can't say that…what if he wasn't? Then I look stupid…_

"Well?"

"You're right," she smiled falsely, "it's nothing".

-o-

"Right," Rose said the next morning, after all their things were packed, "the plan is, we have breakfast, and we get to Sage City as soon as we can"

"Deal, I'm dying for a proper battle"

"And I've thought about training our Eevees"

"Oh?"

"Well, we'll release Eevee first, but before they can be attacked, we'll switch them for our other Pokémon, and that way, Eevee will gain the experience but without getting hurt!"

Tripp gazed at Rose in awe.

"Genius"

"Ooh, be quiet!" she scowled, but Tripp saw her blush and smiled to himself.

-o-

After half an hour on the road, the Eevees were looking less frail, and they sat down for a water break.

"Shaping up aren't they?" Rose said, tickling her Eevee under the chin.

"Hey! We don't know if they're male or female!" Tripp realised.

"Oh yeah…" Rose frowned, "Guess we can ask at the Pokémon Centre"

"You could just check yourself?"

"What? No! That's weird!"

"Why?"

"I dunno…I don't wanna go…fiddling around with them!"

Tripp burst into laughter.

"Fine," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Funny is it?" Rose asked smirking, "Why don't _you_ have a look?"

"No! Gross!"

"Thank you" she said smugly, standing up and leaving Tripp to sulk.

-o-

After two attempted evolutions from Weedle, they were in sight of Sage City.

"There it is!" Tripp said, pointing.

"I cannot _wait_ to get inside the Gym" Rose said, her eyes glinting.

"Me neither," Tripp smiled, "feels like it's been an age".

The teenagers continued towards the city, but after about ten yards Rose stopped and looked back.

"Vulpix!" she called, "what are you doing?"

The fire type Pokémon appeared to be digging for something.

"What is it? What've you found?" Rose asked, approaching her Pokémon.

Vulpix buried her pointed face into the ground, and with an almighty tug, wrenched something from the earth with her teeth. Righting herself, she trotted over to Rose, and deposited her treasure into her trainer's hands.

"Is that…a Thunderstone?" Tripp asked, looking over Rose's shoulder.

"I think so…" Rose said, turning it over in her hands. It was a green crystal, rather jagged with a small, yellow lightning bolt on one side.

"Does this mean…Pichu can become Pikachu?"

"I…I don't know. I suppose so?"

Pichu was eyeing the Thunderstone with awe.

"You wanna try it Pichu?" Rose asked; she was torn, she loved Pichu, but couldn't deny that the prospect of him evolving excited her.

Pichu nodded determinedly.

"Pi pi!"

"They just have to hold it" Tripp whispered.

Rose silently handed the Thunderstone to Pichu, who took it in his tiny paws.

Everyone held their breath – but nothing happened.

"Pichu?"

"I don't know…" Rose frowned, "are you sure that's all you're meant to do?" she asked Tripp.

"Positive," he said, "I've seen my parents use stones a few times…"

Rose tried not to look disappointed.

"Maybe it's not real?" she said, "…another question for the Pokémon Centre I guess!"

She turned to Vulpix who was sat at her feet, looking up expectantly.

"Well done Vulpix," she smiled, "good spot!"

Vulpix closed her eyes happily and nuzzled Rose's leg, before going back into her Pokéball.

-o-

Sage City was the largest city they had come across so far. Buildings seemed to stretch upwards unendingly, and the swarm of people on the streets was overwhelming compared to the stillness of Lovage and Rue.

"Apparently the Pokémon Centre here is massive" Rose told Tripp, "my aunt and uncle live here, you know – Mona's parents"

The Pokémon Centre was indeed the largest the pair had laid eyes upon. Instead of one nurse at the desk, there were three desks, each with a nurse.

"Wow…this place is huge!" Tripp said, his mouth agape.

Rose made her way to the desk.

"Hello, can we please heal our Pokémon?"

"Certainly!" the nurse smiled, "how many are there?"

"Well I have I have four, and you have?"

"Four too" Tripp said.

"If you'll just pass your Pokéballs to me…"

"I was also wondering if anyone could help us," Rose asked, "we've each just had an Eevee hatch, and we'd like to know their sexes"

"Oh! Joy!" the nurse called, turning to the door behind her.

"Yes?" a faint voice answered.

"Two trainers here! Each have baby Eevee!"

Nurse Joy appeared in the doorway; more senior than the other nurses, her uniform was blue instead of white.

"Oh, I just love baby – _Rose_!" she exclaimed, her hand over her heart.

"Aunty Joy!" Rose laughed, running past the desk to hug her mother's sister.

"Look at you! Look how you've grown! Why – the last time I saw you, you must have been…"

"Thirteen!"

"And now look at you!" Joy kissed Rose on the top of her head.

"How's Mona doing, do you know? And your mother _did_ mention that you would be starting a journey, but I didn't realise you'd get here so soon! And who is _this_ handsome chap?" she asked, gesturing towards Tripp, who stood to the side awkwardly, growing increasingly more red.

Rose laughed brightly.

"Aunty Joy, this is my best friend Tripp, Tripp, my mum's sister – Joy"

"Pleased to meet you" Tripp stammered.

"Now let's go and see to these Eevees, plenty of time to talk later!"

-o-

"Now this one here…is a boy!" Joy announced, handing Tripp his Eevee, "and yours Rose…is a girl! How fitting!"

"A girl…"

"Most certainly!" Joy beamed, "do you two have plans for this evening?"

Rose and Tripp looked at one another before shrugging.

"No, we're free!"

"Well then you must come to my house for dinner!"

"Why thanks Aunty Joy!" Rose beamed.

"Thanks very much Nurse Joy"

"Tripp, Tripp! Call me Joy! You may stay the night too if you wish?" Joy spoke incredibly quickly, and always had an air of being incredibly flustered.

"It's fine Aunty Joy, we have sleeping bags!"

"I'll not hear of it! You'll stay at my house, in proper beds!"

"Thank you! Only if it isn't any trouble…"

"None at all! I finish work at six, and I live just next to the bakery in case you've forgotten"

"We'll find it!"

"Good, good! Now off with you! Plenty more patients to treat I'm afraid!"

-o-

"I completely forgot she worked at the Pokémon Centre!" Rose laughed as they strolled round Sage City.

"You'd never guess she was your mum's sister"

"Why not?" Rose asked, puzzled.

"Well, apart from the fact that they look pretty similar, they're completely different! Your mum's so calm, and Joy…"

"She's crazy isn't she?" Rose said, grinning.

"Yes," Tripp laughed, "didn't want to say it myself"

"Oh you would have realised soon enough, just wait until you see her house!"

They found the Gym fairly easily; a colossal white building with giant wooden doors that stood slightly ajar.

"It looks like a castle or something" Tripp said, craning his neck to see the top of the building.

"I wonder why it's so high?"

"No idea" Tripp replied.

"There's a sign, look!"

"'Englebert; far from Normal himself"

"What?!" said Rose, "what's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, the 'N' is capitalised…so I assume he trains normal types?"

"Oh…" Rose said in comprehension, "I suppose you're right…"

"Did you wanna go in?"

Rose shrugged nervously.

"I guess so"

**Author's Note:**

**Just how will they fare in their next Gym battle? Let me hear any thoughts! (or complaints :P)**

**Also, to let you all know I'm going away for three weeks and won't be updating until then (hence giving you two chapters today!) if you ever want the next installment…you'll have to review ;)**

**Love A x**


	8. Chapter 8

"What did you say?" she seethed, her menacing eyes glowing.

Hielo and Ledus exchanged terrified glances, both spluttering incomprehensively.

"Well?"

"They…er…we didn't have much of a chance -" Hielo mumbled, hiding behind his acid green hair.

"What do you mean?" she snapped.

"Th-the Lake Warden…he took our rods –"

"Rods?" Pascalia whispered, her slitted eyes narrowing.

"Super rods!" Ledus exclaimed, his eyes flitting to Hielo in fear.

"YOU CAN'T CATCH DEWGONG ON A ROD" Pascalia screamed. Her yellow eyes flashed and the two men took a hasty step back from her.

"We're sorry" Hielo said, trying desperately to salvage the situation.

"You are lucky," Pascalia began, "that I have recently come across a new agent; hopefully she will be more of an asset to me than you two have proved to be. It will be her that accompanies me to Fenugreek"

"We're so sorry" Ledus added, flushing in both fear and embarrassment.

"In the meantime," she continued, ignoring their grovels, "I want you to return to Hyssop Lake and finish the task you so miserably attempted"

"But the Lake Warden –"

"I DO NOT CARE. Do whatever you must to stall him, but bring as many Dewgong as you can to me"

-o-

"Greetings"

Rose and Tripp moved forward into the marble Gym, their tentative footsteps echoing off the walls. At the far end of the colossal space, just visible, was an old man. He was perched in a throne-like chair, constructed of gilded gold and red velvet. He stood as he greeted them, and clapped his knotted hands together in enthusiasm.

"Er…hello"

"And your name young man?"

"Tripp"

"And your girlfriend?"

Both Tripp and Rose blushed, mortified.

"My name's Rose...and I'm not his girlfriend"

"I'm happy to hear it; far too many youngsters courting nowadays…" he told them sternly; Rose and Tripp exchanged incredulous glances.

"You are I presume, challengers?"

"We are" Tripp confirmed.

"Excellent…excellent. Well, I Englebert, have been the Master of the noble normal type for many a year. By truly understanding this fascinating type of Pokémon, I like to believe that I have succeeded in making my party (almost) invincible…I am assuming you still wish to challenge me?"

Rose studied the old man; his suit was crisp and his white hair immaculately parted. He was clearly a strong trainer; she could tell through his natural and easy confidence.

The teenagers nodded simultaneously in answer to his question.

"You!" Englebert shouted, pointing at Tripp, his voice clear and authoritative.

"Yes?" he asked uncertainly.

"I wish to challenge you first"

Rose and Tripp raised their eyebrows at one another.

"O-okay"

"I will be using three Pokémon; you may use however many you need to try and win"

Tripp attempted not to look too surprised at this.

"That's fine," he nodded, mentally choosing a strategy.

"Excellent. I'm going to start with – Glameow!"

Tripp grinned.

"Then I'm going to use Houndour!"

The cat Pokémon and the dog Pokémon emerged in flashes of blinding light, and scrutinized one another from their opposite sides of the battle ground. Englebert began.

"Scratch Glameow!"

"Use Bite Houndour!"

Houndour's attack missed and Glameow retaliated with another stinging Scratch.

Houndour raised his hackles in anger, awaiting his next instruction.

"Show it your Ember!"

Glameow let out a high pitch squeal as it was burnt.

"Bite Houndour!"

"Glameow use Hypnosis!"

"Dodge it! Use Ember again!"

"Use Scratch Glameow!"

The cat Pokémon was in a lot of pain from the fire type attacks and could only move gingerly. Its Scratch was only half-hearted, and Houndour barely reeled.

"Tackle it!"

"Hypnosis!"

The wave hit Tripp's dog Pokémon, whom immediately succumbed to sleep, and slumped softly sideways.

"Aha!" Englebert rejoiced, only to gape in horror as Glameow toppled over and fainted, weakened by its smarting burn.

"Yes!" Tripp shouted, punching his fist into the air.

Englebert composed himself, and selected a Pokéball from his belt.

"Not bad young man, but let's see how you cope with – Buneary!"

Tripp used an Awakening on Houndour, who shook his head groggily as he stood.

"Use Pound Buneary!"

"Bite it Houndour!"

"Quick Attack!"

Houndour reeled, already weak from the previous battle.

"High Jump Kick Buneary!"

Houndour howled in pain, as the super effective attack hit it, before fainting heavily against the unyielding marble floor.

Tripp gulped and recalled Houndour, considering his next choice.

"Go! Golduck!"

Golduck snapped his beak menacingly as he advanced on the rabbit Pokémon.

"Use Confusion!"

"High Jump Kick Buneary!"

"Show it your Water Pulse!"

"Use Pound!"

"Confusion Golduck!"

Buneary staggered, but managed to right itself in time to launch another High Jump Kick.

Golduck managed to duck the kick and fired a Water Gun, which hit Buneary square in the face. The rabbit Pokémon was exhausted from the two battles. It valiantly attempted to get to its feet, but fatigue overtook it, and it fainted.

Englebert managed to keep his face impassive, but Tripp grinned as he saw him wipe the perspiration from his forehead.

"Surprising, young man - but don't think you've won it already! I choose Wigglytuff!"

Tripp blinked in shock, expecting to be faced with a far more impressive Pokémon. In fact, he relaxed slightly as he appreciated his next opponent.

From the side-lines, Rose bit her lip in worry, hoping that Tripp wouldn't do exactly that.

"Golduck use -"

"Thunderbolt Wigglytuff!"

Tripp's mouth fell open, as his prize Pokémon fainted right out from the immense electric attack.

Rose closed her eyes in horror, she was afraid something of this nature would happen; her cousin Mona owned a Jigglypuff that knew electric, fire and water type attacks.

"R-return Golduck. Go! Weedle!"

"Rollout Wigglytuff!"

Weedle staggered, but righted himself almost instantly.

"Poison Sting!" Tripp called triumphantly.

Wigglytuff, slowed, its breathing becoming ragged. But to Tripp's horror and indignation, Englebert called,

"Use Rest!"

The pink Pokémon closed its eyes, and glowed slightly, fully healing itself. The move caused it to fall asleep, but Englebert was no ordinary trainer; Wigglytuff was holding a Lum berry, so that it woke up instantly.

"Rollout Wigglytuff!"

"Poison Sting!"

The attack missed, and Wigglytuff used Rollout once more.

Tripp panicked, ordering Weedle to Tackle the normal type Pokémon, forgetting in his haste that that particular move would have hardly any effect.

"Rollout again!"

Weedle couldn't cope with three Rollouts in a row, the final attack being considerably stronger than the previous two. Tripp began to sweat freely as he realised he had only one able Pokémon left. One against one.

Rose began to wring her hands in nervousness. Tripp had only Eevee and Geodude left, and the former could not yet battle. But that wasn't the end. Tripp had trained the rock type Pokémon hard recently, but Rose couldn't help but worry whether or not the type advantage would help him pull through. She could tell Englebert's Pokémon was highly trained.

"Go for it Geodude!" Tripp had remembered the type advantage, and a particle of his confidence returned.

Englebert frowned, neither Rollout nor Thunderbolt would work here, and that left him with very few options indeed. He surveyed the young man before him. He stood firm, his legs parallel with his shoulders. His blue eyes were sharp, keen. His fists were clenched, defining the muscles in his tanned forearms.

"Doubleslap Wigglytuff!"

Geodude barely winced, but grinned his rocky grin.

"Rock Throw Geodude!"

Wigglytuff cried out as the rocks rained down upon it, but returned determinedly to battle.

"Doubleslap again!"

Tripp started suddenly, a bubble of hope swelling in his abdomen; the attack had barely worked the previous time, but here was Englebert using it again. Tripp realised that neither Thunderbolt, Rollout nor Doubleslap were going to affect Geodude critically. He was elated, but also rather abashed. Why had he not thought to use this Pokémon in the first place?

"Now use Rockblast!"

"Use Rest Wigglytuff!"

But Wigglytuff was exhausted, and could barely stand. Screwing up its remaining energy, it was just about to comply, when Tripp ordered Geodude to use its final attack.

"Finish it off with Rock Throw!"

To nobody's surprise, Wigglytuff fainted. Englebert reluctantly returned his last Pokémon to its Pokéball, before smiling at Tripp. He cleared his throat.

"I thought you were going to be an easy challenge…but I was wrong." He smiled warmly. "Towards the end of the battle I sensed an inner strength in you young man."

Tripp blinked in surprise and pleasure.

"You just need the confidence to use it I think…yes. You're definitely following the right path to develop this strength. I am proud to present you with the Standard Badge."

Rose felt as though her chest was going to burst with pride. Although she knew Tripp was a strong trainer, she was always in fear of a repeat performance of his first Gym battle. After hearing Englebert praise him, and so tactfully telling him that he did indeed have strength, she felt as though he had finally put his disastrous losing experience behind him.

"I also look forward to challenging you, young lady"

Rose frowned in confusion. Before she could speak, Englebert made to leave his Gym.

"Can't I challenge you now?" she stammered awkwardly.

The Gym Leader looked at her in surprise.

"You could…but I'm about to have my dinner. You may return at eight if you wish"

-o-

"He certainly likes to do things his own way" Rose grumbled. She felt incredibly twitchy now that she had been denied a battle. Patience was not a virtue she possessed.

"I know! Can't believe he pretty much ordered me to go first!"

"At least your battle is over…and well done by the way, you were brilliant"

"Thanks Ro," he smiled, pecking her on the cheek.

Rose's eyes widened, and Tripp looked straight ahead, mortified. He couldn't quite believe where he had found the confidence to do that, especially after their 'conversation'.

Rose's stomach jolted at the kiss. She didn't quite understand why. She assumed it was the shock; after all they had only recently agreed that nothing good would come out of them being together. A kiss was the last thing she expected. _That's probably why it felt weird_, she convinced herself.

-o-

The bakery didn't prove difficult to find. Owned by a French patisserie chef, it attracted scores of customers. Rose and Tripp only had to follow the streams of people holding pale pink paper bags filled with baked goods to find the bakery itself.

"We should buy your aunty something," Tripp suggested, "as she's having us to dinner and everything"

Rose looked at her friend in surprise.

"Good idea!"

The door tinkled as they opened it, and they were hit with the warm, almost spicy smell of baked sugar.

"Ah! Bonjour! You will 'ave to be ze last customers of ze day! I close at seven o'clock!"

The speaker was a rotund French man, with an amiable ruddy face, and forearms white with flour.

Rose and Tripp gaped at the display. Never before had they seen such an exciting array of cakes, pastries and biscuits.

"What is it you would like?" the French baker asked, piping his last macaron with a flourish, before sliding the tray into the oven.

"Um…"

"We…don't know" Rose finished lamely.

"Will it be for yourselves?"

"No, it's a present" Tripp told him.

"For my aunty"

"Ah! A gift! In that case, you must buy a box of my famous _macarons_!"

He showed Rose and Tripp a platter of the prettiest little meringue biscuits. There seemed to be hundreds of colours to choose from; deep forest green to the palest lime, shocking red and delicate pink, violet, lilac, light blue and turquoise, lemon yellow and florescent orange, each with a corresponding flavour.

"I can't choose!"

"Me neither!" Tripp exclaimed, looking terrified at the thought.

"In that case, I will prepare you a selection!" the French baker boomed, before taking one of each macaron and placing them tenderly in a pale rose coloured box.

-o-

"Forty fucking Pokéloans!"

"It _is_ a bit pricey…but they're so awesome looking!" Tripp tried to convince his friend.

"I guess it's only twenty each…but I was expecting to pay about five!"

"You know I don't mind paying…"

Rose glared at Tripp icily.

"Or not…" he sighed. It irritated him that Rose was so touchy about money. He didn't expect her to pay when it was his idea anyway.

-o-

When they arrived at Nurse Joy's front door, which was literally two meters from the bakery, they had to forget their less than friendly feelings towards one another.

The door swung open and Nurse Joy stood in the doorway, looking even more erratic with the absence of her professional uniform. She wore a tie-dye orange top, paired with faded blue jeans and sandals. Her hair, without her nurse's cap to tame it, was flyaway and tumbling out of its loose bun.

"Rose! And Tripp!" she beamed.

The house, they noticed as they stepped into it, smelt heavenly.

"I hope you haven't gone to too much trouble Aunty Joy" Rose asked worriedly, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Not at all, not at all! I wanted to! Now let me show you where you'll be sleeping"

-o-

Tripp felt very comfortable in Joy's house. He had been given the spare room to sleep in, which was light and fresh, the bedding crisp and clean. He knew what Rose meant when she said that he had to 'see her house'. The spare room was the only room in the house that felt as though it had any space. Almost every surface in the house was covered with Pokédolls, which Nurse Joy apparently collected. Framed too, were paintings of Pokémon, so numerous that it was difficult to make out the colour of the wall paper. Vases of flowers covered every surface that wasn't abundant with dolls, giving the house both a sweet and clean smell.

Rose lay back on Mona's bed, and closed her eyes. She had forgotten just how comfortable a bed was. She could hear the water gushing through the pipes, from where Tripp was showering in the bathroom, and the gentle, rhythmic thrum made her eyelids heavy. She was so warm, and the pillow was so soft…

After Tripp had dressed, he made his way to Mona's bedroom. He had barely managed to say two words to Rose since they had entered the house. He knocked gently on the bedroom door and opened it. Rose was lying curled up on the bed, her long hair streaming down her back. He gulped as he appreciated just how glossy her hair was, how her long eyelashes cast a slight shadow on her cheeks. Her mouth was small, but her lips were plump, and without thinking, Tripp reached out to stroke her face with the back of his hand. Her eyelashes fluttered, and realising what he had done, he left the room before she woke. Back in his bedroom he sank onto the bed and held his face in his hands. He couldn't have her as just a friend, it would kill him. He sighed as he realised that was all he could ever have. He grimaced as he decided that as painful as it was, it was better than nothing.

-o-

Nurse Joy had cooked a splendid three course dinner, and had opened a few bottles of wine. Rose and Tripp, who had been living mainly off the Trainer's Lodge food, ate with gusto. Tripp had a good time, joking with Nurse Joy's husband who in stark contrast to her was very quiet. He appeared to take a shine to Tripp however, and spent much of the evening telling him jokes that had the younger man clutching his sides from laughter. After a home-made chocolate tart, Rose and Tripp presented their hosts with the macarons. To their shock, Nurse Joy turned livid.

"How much did you two pay for these?! When I invited you here for dinner, I did not expect any payment! I wanted to treat you! Travelling is a difficult business! I did not want you to spend your hard earned money paying for ridiculously expensive French cakes!" she fumed.

Her husband however, took a macaron from the box and winked at the teenagers.

"I do believe the French refer to them as cookies, Joy dear, not cakes…thank you very much by the way kids, you needn't have"

Nurse Joy became flustered.

"Well…well of course I'm grateful! I'm overjoyed! It's only that…that I wish you hadn't gone to the trouble!"

Rose, who had been trying not to laugh during the whole spectacle, composed herself.

"Really Aunty Joy, it's nothing, we wanted to"

"It's true, and thank you for the lovely dinner" Tripp added.

"Y-you're welcome" Joy bustled out to the kitchen to begin clearing up, adamantly refusing to be helped.

-o-

"I hope you didn't take that to heart," her husband smiled, as they sat down with a cup of tea in the living room, "she loves to look after people, and finds it an insult if people think she expects something in return"

"I know, it's fine" Rose smiled at her uncle, "I found it quite funny to be honest, she's so different from mum"

"She's something special" he laughed.

Rose and Tripp had let their Eevees out of their Pokéballs, and the trio watched as they played together on the rug.

"Oh, I do love Eevees!" Joy beamed as she came into the living room, bringing with her, to her husband's amusement, the box of macarons. She scooped both Eevees up and sat back on the sofa whilst they nuzzled her face.

"They're still babies mind, I hope you're not training them yet?" she asked disapprovingly, "they look as though they've been toughened up slightly…"

"Not as such…" Rose said uncomfortably.

"What do you mean?" Joy asked sharply, "they really are too young to battle Rose…"

"Rose came up with a strategy" Tripp interrupted, "a really quite good one"

"Oh?" Uncle Jim asked; he had been a Pokémon trainer in his younger years.

Rose explained how she engineered the battle so that Eevee came to no harm, but still gained experience.

Jim and Joy gaped at their niece, and Tripp watched with pride.

"And you thought of this…by yourself?" her uncle asked.

Rose shrugged, "It's nothing really…"

"It is," Tripp smiled, "it's brilliant"

Rose looked up at him; they had barely spoken since the money dispute outside the bakery. She started as she looked into his blue eyes. In the dim light from the lamp, they burned intensely bright. She wasn't sure what it was, but she couldn't seem to look away; her limbs turned cold and her heartbeat increased as they stared at one another.

Jim and Joy exchanged amused glances, neither of them entirely sure what to make of the situation.

Rose snapped back to reality and looked away from Tripp, flushing with heat as she realised what had just happened.

"I'm going to have a bath if that's okay?" she stammered.

"Of course, of course!" Joy waved her off, and Rose all but sprinted for the stairs.

"Would you like anything else, Tripp?" Jim asked, as he made his way to the kitchen for another cup of tea.

"No thank you!" he called. He turned to Joy, who to his surprise was smiling knowingly at him.

-o-

Rose cursed herself as she lay in the bath. She had no idea what just came over her, and she flushed once more as she realised how it must have looked.

_You've only gone and given him ideas now_, she fumed to herself_, it's not even as though I fancy him! He's Tripp! What're you playing at Rose? Staring at him like that…_

She sat up as she remembered how he had kissed her cheek after his Gym battle. She touched the spot tenderly, before shaking her head. _He said he didn't really like me like that, he admitted that he only wanted a 'perfect adventure'…_

Ever rational, Rose came to her conclusion as she finished her bath and began drying her long hair methodically. _It was the wine at dinner_, she thought, _it addled both our minds and somehow had us staring at one another. He doesn't like me and I certainly don't like him. _

With this last thought, her brow furrowed, and she fell back on her bed and sighed heavily. She couldn't lie to herself anymore.

-o-

When Tripp was back in his bedroom, he sat on the floor with his back against the wall. He knew that Rose didn't like him in that way, and he also realised that if he kept pushing her for it, he would only drive her further away. That had been proved with both the kiss from earlier, and the staring not long ago. As he sat, he also thought of everything bad that would come of them being in a relationship.

After about fifteen minutes of deep thought, he smiled sadly to himself.

_We're not meant to be._

As soon as he had this realisation, he felt as though a weight had been lifted, and he felt curiously light. He knew he had been acting oddly the past few days, and he realised now it was because he was pining for what he could not have. He could now concentrate on what mattered, their friendship, and becoming the best trainer he could be. He would always love her, but now he had to concentrate on loving her as he should. His best friend; nothing more.

-o-

Rose had been pacing Mona's bedroom for the best part of fifteen minutes. She was scared and confused; she didn't know what to think. She decided that she just needed to talk to Tripp, only then could she get her thoughts straight.

She knocked softly on his bedroom door, but there was no response. She took hold of the door handle, and gently turned it. From the light of the landing, she could see Tripp lying in bed. He was asleep. For reasons unbeknownst to her, she moved through the room towards him, and gazed down upon his sleeping form. With a jolt that was becoming all the more familiar to her as of late, she realised for the first time that her friend was really very good looking. She noticed his straight nose, and full lips. She noticed how his longish dark hair was falling into his closed eyes and she brushed it aside with her hand. She jumped backwards in shock as Tripp rolled onto his back, but she relaxed slightly as she realised that she had not woken him. The covers had shifted, and she scolded herself inwardly for noticing the muscle definition of his chest, and how smooth the brown skin of his shoulders was. It took all of her self-restraint not to reach out a hand once more and stroke his skin. Horrified at herself, and at how weak she had suddenly become, Rose fled for her own room, and dived into the bed, her new realisation both elating and terrifying her.

-o-

The next morning Rose came out of the bathroom just as Tripp was about to enter it.

"Morning!" he said cheerfully; he'd had a good night's sleep for the first time in days after coming to his conclusion.

"Hello," Rose replied somewhat stiffly. She was shocked at his light tone; it had seemed like an age since he hadn't woken in a mood.

Tripp smiled to himself, wondering if she always sounded that unenthusiastic, and he'd just never noticed.

-o-

When they had finished their (cooked) breakfast, and thanked Nurse Joy and Jim profusely before they left for work, Rose and Tripp were on their way again.

"You still need to challenge the Gym!" Tripp exclaimed, staring at his friend.

Rose shrugged, "Did you forget?"

Tripp laughed in response, "I suppose I did…are you all right?"

There was something wrong with Rose this morning, though he couldn't quite figure out what it was.

"Of course! Why?"

"I just thought you seemed a little…off. Obviously not" he grinned.

Rose turned away from his smile. Tripp noticed, but decided to drop it.

When they reached the Gym, Rose turned to Tripp and forced herself to look him in the eye.

"Can you wait here?"

"What?!"

"Whilst I battle. Can you please wait outside?"

"Why?!" Tripp asked, flabbergasted.

Rose hesitated.

"I don't want to be distracted" she said, hoping a double bluff would save her.

Tripp frowned, but nodded.

"If that's what you want…" he said.

-o-

He sat outside the Gym for over half an hour, wondering what on earth had come over Rose. She had been fine yesterday, until their very minor dispute over money, and although they didn't talk very much at her aunty's house, he didn't think there had been anything particularly wrong with their exchange. It all started when he complimented her, and they had somehow ended up staring at one another. After that…he didn't know what had changed.

He sat up straight suddenly, as he remembered the photograph. If he had noticed it, surely Rose had.

It had been in the dining room, on the dresser. She must have seen it whilst they had dinner. Perhaps the reference to her training skills from her aunty and uncle had reminded her of her father, who had left them to become a trainer…

Tripp closed his eyes as he pictured the photograph. Rose, about four years old, her curly hair as it always had been, tumbling down her back in dark brown waves. She was sat on the lap of a black haired, handsome young man; they shared the same brown eyes. Her father. Sat on Rose's lap was a Growlithe; both father and daughter were laughing as the dog Pokémon licked Rose's ear.

Snapping out of his reverie, Tripp made a decision.

_If I ever have children_, _I'll never leave them for selfish reasons; never_.

**Author's Note:**

**[I'm back! And here is the new chapter as promised (:]**

**Ooh dear, so that was unexpected! Poor Rose, just as Tripp decides they're better as friends. Next chapter we find out the outcome of Rose's battle, and we also meet a (sort of) new character… I'd love to hear from you as always!**

**Love A. x**

**P.S Please make sure you're reading all chapters! Chapter six appears to have no views whereas chapter seven has – be aware that may be being a little weird! Constant vigilance ;)**


	9. Chapter 9

At nine o'clock, Elliot was packing away his medicines after a very long and dull day. He had had many challengers, and not one had proved themselves to be worthy of the Rapids Badge. He thought back to Rose and Tripp's battles and smiled to himself.

He heard the glass doors of his Gym swing open, and turned to face them, startled. Two silhouettes stood in the doorway.

"Sorry!" Elliot called, his voice echoing slightly, "I'm closed now until the morning…"

He ceased to continue speaking when he noticed that the two figures were moving slowly across the Gym towards him.

Elliot frowned slightly as he recognised them. One had acid green hair, the other electric blue. Their jaws were set, and just as Elliot was about to inquire after what it was they wanted, he noticed the bat.

And all went black.

-o-

When Rose stepped out of the Gym, Tripp could gauge nothing from her facial expression. Only when he saw Pichu bounding along in her wake did he relax.

"How did it go?" he asked tentatively, still not completely sure of the outcome.

Rose managed a smile.

"We won,"

Tripp exhaled heavily.

"I knew you would"

"You seem rather relieved, considering" Rose retorted, her eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Piiiiiiichuuuuu!" Pichu squealed, hopping onto Tripp's shoulder, and back onto the ground before running circles around Rose's feet.

"What's up with him?"

Rose frowned at her Pokémon's erratic behaviour, "I have absolutely no idea…"

"D'you fancy lunch?"

Rose wrinkled her nose, "Not particularly after that breakfast"

Tripp laughed, "All right then; what do you say to heading to the next town?"

"Chu chu chu chu chuuuu!"

"Pichu, what's the matter with you?" Rose exclaimed, trying, and failing, to catch Pichu who continued to run around her with dizzying speed.

"Anything happen to him in the battle?" Tripp attempted to ask casually, he was rather confused, and offended as to why Rose didn't want him to be there.

"Not that I can think of…Pichu probably performed better than he ever has, and Vulpix proved to be much stronger too"

"Weird…wonder what's up with him?"

Rose shrugged, "Let's get going"

-o-

On the dusty road to Fenugreek, Rose became increasingly annoyed with Pichu, who for reasons unbeknownst to her, would not calm down.

"Pichu! I will put you in your Pokéball…d'you hear me?!" she yelled, as the excitable Pokémon scrambled up a tree in glee.

"I don't think he really cares Ro," Tripp grinned. He found the situation rather amusing, as it was a rare occurrence that Rose found something to be beyond either her understanding or control.

He soon stopped smiling however, when Rose shot him a withering glare. He couldn't help but notice it was the first time all day that she had looked him in the eye.

-o-

After having spent the greater part of the afternoon trekking up the hot and dusty road, Rose and Tripp decided to stop for a drink. They sat on the roadside and gulped gratefully at their full water bottles.

"Shall we give the Pokémon some food?" Tripp suggested.

Rose shook her head through her mouthful of water before swallowing.

"No, Pichu will get so excited his head'll explode – best leave it until he's calmed down"

Tripp closed his eyes against the brash brightness of the sun.

"Shall we train a bit?"

Rose inclined her head to the side as she considered his suggestion.

"I suppose we should, we've been slacking recently"

"Your Pokémon are looking formidable" Tripp gaped, as he wiped his forehead once again after the heat of Vulpix's Flamethrower.

"Same goes for yours" Rose replied, busying herself with her Pokéball belt so as she didn't have to look at Tripp. This didn't go unnoticed by him.

"Are you okay?"

She noticed the inflection of concern in his voice, and cursed herself for being so obvious.

"Pichu's getting on my nerves" she said, desperate for a cover story. It was easy to lie as this was in fact true. She scanned the elm trees, where every now and again she caught a glimpse of a small yellow bundle whizzing through the branches. Pichu had refused to train.

Tripp didn't believe her answer, as she had definitely been acting oddly before her Gym battle, but he didn't press the matter any further.

"You don't reckon…" he hesitated.

"What?" Rose asked.

"That…well. I dunno. Maybe Pichu's being disobedient because…"

"Well?"

Tripp started to blush; he could feel his face burning. _Back out now Tripp, just back out_.

"Maybe he's too high a level for you?"

_Why the fuck did I say that?_

-o-

Rose's mouth fell open in genuine hurt. Trainers whose Pokémon were too high a level for them were usually highly incompetent, and it offended her greatly that Tripp suggested she was one of them. She could see that he regretted saying it as soon as he opened his mouth, but she didn't care to hear any apologies. Picking up her rucksack, and ensuring her Pokéball belt was secure, she continued down the road.

"Rose, I'm sorry, I don't really think -"

She turned sharply around, and injecting as much venom as she possibly could into her voice said, "Just shut up Tripp, okay?"

Furious now, Tripp grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him, forcing her to look him in the eye. He smiled cruelly as she tried to avoid his gaze, and held her chin steady so that her brown eyes had to meet his blue ones.

"Why haven't you looked at me all day?"

Rose bit her lip.

"And why didn't you let me into your Gym battle?"

He felt satisfied as he saw the guilt on her face. Letting go of her chin, he waited for her to speak. She remained silent.

"Well?"

When she finally spoke, her voice was gravelly, but as though realising her mistake, she looked him in the eye levelly.

"Do you trust me?"

Tripp blinked in confusion, not expecting the question.

"Yeah, but what has that got to –"

"Then trust me when I tell you that it's something I just need to get over on my own, okay?" Her eyes glittered oddly.

Tripp opened his mouth to protest, but Rose held a finger up to his lips.

"Trust me."

-o-

Fenugreek Town was quite unlike anything Rose had ever experienced. Before embarking on her journey with Tripp, she had never left Chicory, and was therefore enthralled at what she had found. Fenugreek was a large town, famous in the region of Sesame due to its beautiful beach. A few miles of white sand and sparkling blue sea gave the town a fresh salty breeze, perfect to counteract the sweltering sun that was constant for most of the year. Fenugreek was alive with ice-cream parlours, fish and chip shops and sunlit cafés, whose sun-faded parasols gave them a cheerful and inviting air.

"Wow," Rose breathed.

Tripp grinned, "I forgot that you've never left home before…this must be pretty cool to you"

"It's amazing!" she turned to Tripp with bright animated eyes, momentarily forgetting her new feelings for him, "Can we have fish and chips for lunch?"

Tripp laughed good-naturedly, happy that he finally seemed to have gotten through to her.

"If you want, but it's not that exciting…"

"Please, please, please, please, pleeaaase?" she begged, jumping up and down on the spot.

Tripp could do nothing but laugh once more; he was confused, but relieved that her lively nature was shining through again, after the last two days of dismal conversation.

"Sure, but you have to let me order for you"

"Surely there's not much to choose from?" Rose laughed, "fish and chips?"

"You'll see"

-o-

They sat outside the fish and chip shop on a small wooden table, which was cluttered with the paper wrappings of their meal.

"Right, so I have…"

"Battered cod," Tripp told her, "along with chips (as I'm sure you know), and two sides, mushy peas and curry sauce"

Rose prodded the green gunge with her little wooden fork.

"Why are they mushy?"

Tripp shrugged, shovelling chips into his mouth hungrily.

Rose tentatively dipped a chip into the mushy pea concoction before taking a bite. Tripp couldn't help but laugh when he saw her grimace.

"No? Try the curry sauce"

Rose sighed heavily, before dipping another chip into the yellowish-brown liquid.

"Well?"

"It's okay…but I prefer them plain I think,"

Tripp rolled his eyes at her.

"You would"

When they had finished, they sat back in the sun and waited until they felt less full before they would even consider moving.

Tripp checked his watch, "Two o'clock…better get the Pokémon some food soon"

Rose closed her eyes and groaned. Pichu had become so excitable in the end that he had given her a headache, and gave her no choice but to force him unceremoniously into his Pokéball.

"Okay, okay, I saw the Pokémon Centre not far from here…it was by the pale blue café I think"

-o-

The interior of the Pokémon Centre felt unusually cool and dark after the bright sunlight outside. Rose and Tripp bought a selection of poffins each whilst they waited for their Pokémon to be fully restored. The process seemed to be taking a good deal longer than usual, so they retired to the Trainer's Lodge to grab a cup of coffee. As they sat down, a news report caught their attention; they turned to the television which was mounted on the wall.

"…Fennel City Gym Leader Elliot has been found badly beaten inside his Gym. The incident is being investigated by the Police, who apparently have no new leads"

Rose and Tripp exclaimed horrified glances.

"Who on earth would attack Elliot?" Rose asked, feeling rather sick with shock.

Tripp frowned, "I don't know…maybe a pride-wounded trainer?"

"They should contact all of the trainers who battled him that day…I bet you're right, and it was one of them that lost the battle…"

They continued to drink their coffee in silence. In the background, the news reporter continued with the next story.

"The caves on Fenugreek Beach are currently being examined by experts, as it appears that the levels of Shellder and Spheal living there has-"

Just as Tripp began to tune in to the next report, a sharp beep sounded, and Rose and Tripp looked up to see that their names had appeared on the board; their Pokémon had been healed.

As the nurse handed Rose her Pokéballs, she smiled.

"That's a very Happy Pichu you've got there, we could barely treat him he was so excitable" she said, before winking.

"I know," Rose glowered, "thank you" she said, clipping the Pokéballs onto her empty belt.

"D'you mind if we go back to the Lodge for a minute?" Tripp asked, "There was an interesting news report…"

As Tripp sat and listened to the news, Rose selected a spicy poffin from her case, and released Pichu from his Pokéball. The little Pokémon was so pleased to finally have escaped his prison, that he threw his little arms around Rose's neck and licked her on the nose. She laughed as she stroked her Pokémon's ears.

"Sorry little guy," she said, "but you did give me quite a headache earlier"

Pichu however, much to her annoyance had spotted the red treat in her hand, and began to bounce erratically on the table in an attempt to reach it.

"Now, now," Rose said sternly, raising the poffin above her head, "if you want this, you're going to have to calm- PICHU!" she shouted.

"Shh!" Tripp said angrily, before turning back to the television.

Pichu had snatched the poffin from Rose's hand, and was tucking into it happily. She was about to take it from him, and had prepared herself to scold, when her voice died in her throat.

Pichu began to glow, before flashing a blinding white. His little form began to distort slowly, getting faster and faster. Tripp realised what was happening, and stared at the little Pokémon, the news report forgotten. A few Pokémon trainers in their vicinity too noticed what was going on, and gathered around their table; it wasn't every day you saw a Pichu evolve.

-o-

What the evolution was complete, the trainers who had been watching clapped and cheered. 'Pikachu', bewildered at the noise, looked down towards his half-finished poffin. He noticed the change in his paws first; they were slightly larger, and a brighter shade of yellow than normal. As he stood, he felt as though his centre of gravity had shifted, and turned around to see a magnificent lightning-bolt shaped tail. His eyes widened as he registered what had happened, and looked up at Rose. Her face mirrored his exactly, and he finally smiled with happiness.

"Pika! Pika pi!"

Rose too laughed, "Pichu! I mean – Pikachu!" she laughed again. "Is this why you were behaving so weirdly? You were…'happy'?"

The nurse, who had also come to watch the transformation, spoke.

"Indeed it was! It is misnamed really, as 'Happiness'; think of it more as pent up energy that needs to be released. As the energy is released through pleasurable experiences, as opposed to the gain of experience points or exposure to an evolutionary stone, it was given the rather misleading name"

Rose gave a soft "Oh!" in comprehension.

"You knew this was going to happen didn't you?" she smiled, "that's why you winked?"

"I did indeed, honey"

The nurse returned her smile before walking back to her station, leaving Rose feeling both elated and shocked.

-o-

Late afternoon found Rose, Tripp and their Pokémon lounging on the white sands of Fenugreek beach. Having finally gotten over the sudden evolution of Pichu, the pair turned to more pressing topics of conversation.

"Did they say anything else about Elliot?" Rose asked, trying extremely hard to keep her eyes from Tripp's chest; he had removed his t-shirt in the heat.

He frowned before answering.

"You know they don't have any new leads…you watched it!"

"But what about just before Pichu evolved? You said you wanted to watch something…"

"Oh! That wasn't about Elliot"

"No?"

"Nah, it was about Fenugreek Beach actually…"

"Really?" Rose asked, propping herself up on her elbows to listen.

"Yeah…something about the levels of Shellder and Spheal having declined, and they don't think there's a natural reason; said they were checking their food supply this afternoon"

He squinted over to a cluster of caves at the far end of the beach, where a group of people in white coats were emerging.

"Shall we see what's going on?"

Rose shrugged.

"If you like,"

She walked down to the shore where their Pokémon were playing in the shallows.

"We're just going over to the caves," she told them, "don't wander off, okay?"

Walking back up the beach, her and Tripp approached the caves, where a number of scientists were scribbling on clipboards. Tripp spotted a shiny blond bob, and nudged Rose in the ribs.

"Is that…?"

"Cristine?!" Rose gasped.

Torston's sister turned at the sound of her name and smiled as she recognised the trainers.

"Hey! I take it you beat my little twat of a brother in the end?" she grinned.

Rose and Tripp smiled apologetically.

"How many badges you got now?" she peered at the collection on the jacket that Tripp had draped over his arm, "four each? Not bad! Soon you'll be battling me" she laughed.

"What're you doing here?" Rose asked, "Why aren't you at the League?"

"Well, there haven't been any challengers as of late, s'been dead, and as the Champion refuses, I've been asked to come and oversee what's going on here…"she frowned.

"What's the verdict?" asked Tripp.

"Well, the levels of Shellder and Spheal certainly _have_ decreased, and quite drastically, but we've decided it isn't due to diet"

"How come?" Rose asked.

"Well, Marill and Poliwag share the same diet, and their numbers haven't changed at all; if anything they've risen because there's more food to go around with Shellder and Spheal's absence…"

Tripp smiled as he noticed Rose's brow furrowed in concentration.

"Well?" he smiled, recognising her 'look'.

"Well what?" Cristine asked, confused.

"I was just thinking…" Rose said slowly, chewing her bottom lip as she ordered her thoughts.

"Yes?" Cristine prompted.

Rose turned to Tripp, "Those men at Hyssop Lake,"

Cristine looked bewildered; she was not following the conversation at all.

"Yeah…"

"Well, they were after Dewgong…an ice type,"

"So?"

"Well, Shellder and Spheal evolve into ice types don't they?" she asked Cristine.

The young woman's grey eyes widened as she considered this.

"You mean they could all have been…_captured_?"

"Well I don't know!" Rose said hastily, "it's only a theory…"

"Who was at the lake? Who was after Dewgong?" Cristine asked, frenzied.

"It was two men," Tripp said, "they were pretty freaky looking; really tall, crazy hair…"

"Do you know who they are? Do you have their names?"

"No, sorry" the teenagers responded.

"Elliot might know?" Tripp suggested, "He _did_ have a go at them for disturbing the lake,"

"Elliot?" Cristine asked, confused.

"The Fennel City Gym Leader," Rose told her, "he's also Hyssop Lake warden…he's been found badly beaten though, so I don't know if he's come around yet…"

"_Rose_!" Tripp yelled, causing the two girls to jump in fright, "that's it!"

"What's 'it'?"

"Elliot! He had a go at those guys, and now he's been found beaten! Water types that evolve into ice-types have gone missing…and I'll bet my life the number of Dewgong in Hyssop Lake has declined as well!"

Rose slapped her hand to her forehead, "You're right! You're so right!"

"If what you're saying is true, I want to go and check out the Lake right now," Cristine told them, "D'you want to come?"

Rose and Tripp hesitated.

"I'm really interested in what's happened…" Rose began.

"But I think we need to continue with our journey" Tripp finished.

"It doesn't matter! Give me your phone numbers, and I can keep you updated if you like?" Cristine suggested.

The teenagers had to grope into the depths of their rucksacks to find their phones; neither had used them since leaving Chicory town.

"Right. Come on," Cristine called to the scientists, "let's check out the Lake!" turning to Rose and Tripp she said "I'll keep you updated if we find anything! And thanks for the heads up!"

-o-

Later that night, after having spent a relaxing day in Fenugreek town, sampling all of the cafés and ice-cream parlours, Rose and Tripp set up their tents on the beach. The air was still warm despite the fact it was evening, but the sea breeze helped to keep them cool.

"I thought Cristine might have gotten back to us by now," Rose grumbled.

Tripp looked over to her, and saw that she was sat in the mouth of her tent, hugging her knees and absent-mindedly watching the sun set.

"Are you…okay now?" he asked, still looking at her.

Rose looked over at him, and hard as it was, forced herself to keep looking him in the eye.

"Yeah…" she said slowly, and not altogether truthfully, "I'm good now"

Tripp paused, before saying quietly,

"It's okay not to be, you know"

"Not to be what?" Rose asked, confused.

"Okay," Tripp said, staring at her intently as though trying to read her. Rose felt herself shiver. She then panicked slightly, he was looking at her so knowingly…surely he couldn't have guessed what she felt?

Tripp noticed the shock on her face. So she didn't realise that he knew what the problem was.

"I mean, I would be upset too,"

Rose didn't dare to reply; she wanted to be sure of the conversation topic before she risked saying a word. Tripp sighed as he realised that getting her to talk wouldn't be as easy as he'd hoped.

"It's not your fault that your dad left, Rose" he said softly.

Tripp mistook her look of surprise to mean that she couldn't believe he had guessed right, not that she had no idea where his thought process had come from.

"It must have been hard for you, seeing that photo in your aunty's house…"

Rose was truly bewildered now. She had to try extremely hard to keep her face straight. She was also immensely relieved however, that Tripp had not guessed the real reason for her surly attitude.

"Thank you," she told him in what she hoped was a small and defeated voice. Either way, she needed to stop him talking about this. It wasn't a subject she liked to discuss.

"Did you want to talk about it?" Tripp prompted.

This time Rose could not force herself to look at him.

"No I don't. But thank you. I think I'm going to get an early night"

She flashed him a quick smile, before disappearing into her tent, and zipping it up in one fluid motion.

-o-

Tripp sighed heavily to himself as he stared at her tent; he smiled bitterly as he realised that just as the tent was was hiding her, she was hiding her emotions.

_She's bloody good at it too_.

-o-

Rose sat cross-legged in her tent, face in hands. She knew she should be grateful that Tripp hadn't guessed the true reason for her offish attitude, but she couldn't shut out what he had just said either.

Although she hadn't taken any notice of the photograph in Joy's house, she knew exactly which one Tripp had been referring to. Her and her father, with his Growlithe.

_The Pokémon he chose over his daughter_, she thought bitterly.

She made the mistake of never having discussed this issue, one that had affected her life far more than she realised. When it became clear, all those years ago that her father was not going to return, her mother would cry freely. She encouraged Rose to do the same, wanted to share her grief with her only child. Rose however, would not let her. When her mother began to cry, she would shut herself in her bedroom, and steel herself against emotion. Because of this, she had not cried for as long as she could remember.

When Rose therefore began to feel a lump forming in her throat, and an uncomfortable pricking in the corner of her eyes, she became angry with herself.

_Don't be so stupid_, she seethed. _Don't you dare cry! There is no reason to and it's stupid! _

She realised she was breathing heavily, and closed her eyes, attempting to calm herself. It worked; when she opened her eyes once more, they were thankfully dry, the lump in her throat gone.

That night, Rose decided that something had to be done about the new feelings she harboured for her friend. She soon realised however, that unfortunately it wasn't something she could just 'switch off' as she seemed to manage to do quite easily with anger and hurt. She at least decided that he would never know. She would control herself enough to look him in the eye, to laugh with him, to touch him as she would normally. She had to do this, because otherwise she would lose control, and this was not something Rose would ever allow herself to do.

-o-

"How many are there Chelsea?" Pascalia asked, sitting back against the dank cave wall and closing her slitted eyes in fatigue. The Draco Silicis as of late had drained her energy; resulting in headaches and blackouts.

_Once I develop the strength to fight them, I'll be unstoppable_, she thought to herself, and smiled contentedly.

Chelsea glanced up to Pascalia's beautiful face and sighed inwardly. She would never be able to achieve that elegant, timeless beauty; the ivory skin and almond-shaped eyes, straight nose and full lips, thick hair that fell just below her shoulder blades, so brightly, palely shining that it made the snow outside their mountain cave look unclean.

"Well?" Pascalia snapped.

Chelsea jumped, she had forgotten to answer. She seemed to have become very jumpy as of late.

"T-there are…forty three"

"Not bad for a night's work…" Pascalia let her topaz eyes close once again.

"W-when can we leave the cave?" Chelsea asked, shivering with both cold and terror.

"As soon as Dragonair returns…is there a problem?"

"N-no, I…I just…I'm not too fond of heights"

Pascalia laughed melodically, making the hairs on the back of Chelsea's neck stand on end.

"We're only about three hundred feet high," she reminded the young girl cruelly, "you're perfectly safe in this cave. When you have to navigate your way down, then you'll understand real fear"

-o-

"C'mon Tripp! Wake up!" Rose called the next morning, "we need to train!"

Tripp grumbled as he wiggled out of his sleeping bag and rubbed his tired eyes. He blinked in confusion as he stepped out of his tent. The sky was pinkish-gold, and the moon was still faintly visible on the horizon. Checking his watch, Tripp growled.

"Half-past five?! Rose, are you insane?!"

"Nope," she smiled, "just don't want to fall into slovenly habits!"

Tripp opened his mouth to protest, but stopped himself upon looking into Rose's eyes. They were bright and dancing, despite the dark circles underneath them.

"Did you sleep all right?" he asked.

"Not particularly," she laughed, "but I don't want to lie in bed all morning"

"You haven't lain in bed for _any_ of the morning" Tripp muttered to himself.

"I do have ears, you know" Rose said, "and don't worry sleeping beauty, we can have an early night if we get enough done"

With that she sauntered up the beach, her shoes swinging from her hands.

-o-

As they reached the road towards Tarragon City, Rose turned to Tripp.

"I've been thinking,"

"Funny that," he grinned; he had woken up considerably after a coffee in the Pokémon Centre.

Rose raised her eyebrows dangerously.

"I apologise, do continue" he smiled angelically.

Rose worked hard to prevent her lips from twitching.

"As I was _saying_, I think that today we should concentrate on our Eevees; I want them to be nicely trained before we have to go and see Professor What's-His-Face…"

Tripp groaned as he remembered.

"Crap! I forgot about him! Are we _actually_ going to go and visit him?!"

"Don't be so stupid, we have to! He _gave_ us a Pokémon each!"

"He'd better not try and take them back," Tripp grumbled. He wouldn't admit how much he liked nuzzling Eevee's soft little body against his cheek.

"He won't," Rose consoled him soothingly. Her lips did twitch this time as she remembered hearing Tripp cooing to his Eevee in his tent a few nights past.

-o-

Four hours later, Rose was quite satisfied. Their Eevees were looking much better. Pikachu had actually flinched quite badly when Eevee Tackled him. As they sat on the roadside, and pulled provisions from their rucksacks, Rose turned to Tripp.

"What do you think's the matter with Oddish?"

Tripp frowned thoughtfully through his mouthful of peach, before swallowing.

"I'm not sure…she seems…is nervous the right word?"

"Yeah, I think you're right…but what does she have to be nervous about? The Pokémon I'm sending her out against are definitely below her level"

"Well, she lost against Chelsea's Staryu…"

"I know, but –"

"And I suppose you need to take into consideration that it was her first proper battle, not training…maybe that's why she's nervous?"

"That does make sense…" Rose said slowly, "she was fine when I was training her on the road to Rue, you know, when I caught her"

"That must be it then," Tripp said, licking the peach juice from his fingers.

"But what can I do?"

"I'm not sure, you probably have to talk to her, get Pikachu to help, they're good friends aren't they?"

"Yeah, I think I will. I won't push her now though. Shall we carry on with the Eevees?"

Tripp shook his head as he smiled at her.

"Never give up do you?"

-o-

They made their way back to the Fenugreek Pokémon Centre at one o'clock, thoroughly worn out; they had been training since six in the morning.

"I say, we shower, and then buy lunch" Tripp suggested.

Rose nodded. She had been itching for an opportunity to talk to Oddish alone.

"Did you want to shower first?"

Tripp grinned, he couldn't bear being dusty.

"Thanks Ro," he said, heading upstairs to the shower cubicles.

When he left, Rose bought one of each flavour poffin, before releasing Oddish from her Pokéball. Straight away the little weed Pokémon looked around frantically, as though determining which direction the pain was going to come from.

Rose bit her lip guiltily as she saw this. She flushed pink with embarrassment as she realised that through her recent preoccupation with her own feelings, she had abandoned her Pokémon.

"Oddish," she said gently, "why don't you try these poffins? See which flavour you like?"

Oddish was the only Pokémon Rose had not taken sufficient time to bond with, and she saw what a detrimental effect it had appeared to have had.

After nibbling each poffin, Oddish decided that she rather liked the bitter one, and began to guzzle it happily.

"So, Oddish," Rose smiled, arranging the leaves on her head, which had become rather flustered from her previous battling.

"Odd?"

"You're looking much stronger don't you think?"

Oddish looked up at Rose and her lower lip began to tremble. She shook her leafy head sadly.

"What's the matter?"

"Oddish, odd, odd!"

"You're not at all terrible at battling! What gave you that idea?"

"Dish, Oddish!"

"No…that was my fault. That Staryu was a higher level than I realised, and I shouldn't have subjected you to that in your first battle"

Oddish continued to stare at her feet.

"You're a good fighter Oddish," Rose said softly, "if you weren't, I wouldn't have tried to catch you"

As Oddish took in these words, she slowly looked up to her trainer's face. Although she hadn't spent much time with Rose, she already loved her earnest brown eyes, and felt comforted as she registered her genuine smile.

"Odd" Oddish smiled.

"Don't thank me, I should thank you! Do you forgive me for making that stupid mistake by letting you battle?"

"Oddish!"

"Thank you," Rose smiled, feeling herself grow warm with love for her little Pokémon.

"Hey!" Tripp called, before sitting down, his wet hair dripping onto the table.

"Hello," Rose smiled wryly, "tell me, are you attempting to look sexy or something, by leaving your hair all wet and dripping?" she asked, her eyes innocently wide.

"I wasn't, no," Tripp replied offhandishly, "but that's obviously the first thought that sprung to your mind when you saw me," he winked at her.

Rose gaped, before clamping her mouth shut.

"Actually, Oddish and I were saying how much of a fool you look…on a daily basis" she managed to stammer, before making her way to the showers rather quickly.

Tripp noticed nothing strange in either her response or departure, but laughing, turned to Oddish.

"I don't understand her, but she does make me laugh" he said to the weed Pokémon.

"Odd! Oddish Oddish!"

"I think she's lovely too," he smiled, "but she's weird all right"

-o-

It was nearing half past two when they finally finished eating. They had had a lazy early afternoon, lounging in the Trainer's Lodge after their long morning of training.

"I think I got through to Oddish," Rose said, once the Pokémon was safely back in her Pokéball.

"That much is obvious," Tripp smiled.

"Huh? How?"

"She and I were chatting when you showered, you can tell she loves you already"

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, from where he was perched on Rose's shoulder.

"Thank you," Rose said, beaming.

"Don't look so surprised," Tripp snorted, "You know how much all your Pokémon love you,"

"It's still nice to be reminded," she grinned, "now, I say we get moving now, and hopefully make it to Tarragon City in time for dinner"

Tripp glanced at the map on the wall, and frowned before standing up to get a closer look.

"What is it? What's the matter?" Rose asked.

"Well…I'm not sure" Tripp said slowly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…there doesn't appear to be a path"

"How can there not be a path?"

"Well, there is, but, well, it leads to Tarragon Mountain"

Rose's eyes widened.

"The mountain? As in…the one we could see from the road?!"

"It's not that big…for a mountain" Tripp tried to act nonchalant, but Rose could see the vein in his forehead become more pronounced.

"It's still about three hundred feet high!" she squealed, "and there'll be caves…and…steep bits…"

"Doesn't look like we have much choice…"

"Maybe we can go around it somehow?!" Rose suggested desperately.

Tripp didn't imagine it would be possible, because any easier route would surely be marked on the map. He didn't feel that this was the right time to say so however.

"Maybe…I guess we should buy some food in case we have to stay overnight?"

Rose nodded stiffly, her lips pressed tightly together.

-o-

An hour later, and they were travelling down the road towards the mountain, which now seemed impossibly large and imposing. Their rucksacks were rather heavier than normal too; they had been given various pieces of mountain-climbing equipment by the Pokémon Centre. It didn't escape Tripp's notice that each time a new item was produced and explained, Rose turned a more alarming shade of white. They had been given a rope each, a harness and a pick for any rock-face that they could not climb with their hands and feet alone.

"But of course, there are some easy routes!" the nurse had told them cheerily, "with any luck you won't need the equipment at all! You should be over in a day and a half at the most!"

Rose began to sweat freely when after an hour or so, they were approaching the foot of the mountain. Tripp grabbed her arm and pointed towards the sky.

A Dragonair was flying serenely and mysteriously through the air, its serpentine body moving as rhythmically as though it had been gliding through water. It reached the top of the mountain, and disappeared.

Rose and Tripp turned to one another, their mouths agape, their eyes wide.

**AN: More chapters coming soon hopefully! I apologise for the wait on this chapter – but I bought myself a rather energetic kitten and have been rather busy with it XD anyway- I hope you enjoyed! Your reviews are appreciated as always (:**


	10. Chapter 10

"Well this isn't too bad," Rose said, somewhat relieved, "the nurse was probably right! I bet we'll be over this by evening!"

Tripp tried not to laugh as he registered how happy she now was. He knew that the beginning of mountain trails were the easiest parts.

"I hope we're over in time for dinner," she continued, "I'm gonna need more than a can of soup after climbing this!"

"I wonder if there'll be a cave we can pitch the tents in…?" Tripp wondered aloud.

"Huh?" Rose said, her head whipping in his direction, "What do you mean? Why would we need to pitch the tents?" she was now speaking rather quickly.

"Oh I don't know," Tripp said breezily, realising his error, "it could get worse I suppose"

"Well, we'll be fine." Rose snapped, "You heard what the nurse said; easy routes do exist, we just need to find them"

Tripp prevented himself from replying, and they continued their so far effortless journey up Tarragon Mountain.

-o-

"How about we stop for a bit?" Rose reluctantly suggested at around three o'clock. She glanced enviously at Tripp's long legs, and how he moved with apparent ease over the rocky terrain.

Tripp looked back and smiled at how pink in the face Rose had become.

"Sure!" he said, and made his way back to her.

At that moment, two Pokémon trainers rounded the corner, their eyes lighting up when they caught sight of Rose and Tripp.

"Awesome!" the blond dreadlocked boy yelled, "let's battle!"

"I'll do it," Tripp muttered to Rose, who was still feeling rather worn out.

"And I'll battle you!" said the female trainer with the red hair, pointing at Rose, who sighed.

"How about a double battle?" Tripp suggested, "Us two against you two?"

The strange trainers considered this before grinning.

"You're on!"

"Right, well I'm going to choose – Weedle!" Tripp shouted.

"Go Furret!" yelled the red haired girl.

"C'mon Pikachu!"

"I choose Slugma!"

The four Pokémon clashed ferociously as their trainers bellowed out separate orders. Finally, Slugma keeled over where it had been poisoned earlier on by Weedle's ever deadlier Poison Sting.

"Pikachu! Body Slam!"

The unfortunate Furret, too weakened from Weedle's venom fell to the ground limply and fainted.

"We're not done yet!" the girl shouted fiercely, "Go! Swellow!"

"And I pick Heracross!"

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted excitedly, knowing that Swellow would suffer from his electric attacks.

"Weedle! Use Poison Sting!"

Swellow managed to avoid the attack, but the unfortunate Heracross remained in the firing line.

"Use Aerial Ace Swellow!"

Weedle reeled in pain from the flying type attack.

"You have to recall him Tripp!" Rose shouted desperately, not taking her eyes from Pikachu who was erratically dodging Heracross's Horn Attack.

"Come back Weedle! Go! Houndour!"

"Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"

"Flamethrower Houndour!"

The attacks hit their targets. Swellow squawked in pain, before hitting the earth with a thud. Heracross cringed from the intensity of its burn, and after a pronounced shudder, too fainted.

All four trainers were breathing heavily. The strangers gaped at Rose and Tripp.

"Awesome man!" the blond dreadlocked boy exclaimed, his eyes popping.

"You guys rock!" said the red headed girl; their accent was unfamiliar.

"Er, thanks?" Tripp laughed in embarrassment, worrying his hair with his hand.

"How did you get so strong?"

"We train," Rose said simply, smiling at the strange trainers.

"We should probably try that some time!" the girl laughed to her friend.

Waving at Rose and Tripp, they continued their way down the mountain, towards Fenugreek Town.

"Well, they were weird," Tripp said, as soon as the trainers were out of earshot.

"I thought it was quite refreshing to be honest," Rose replied, "it's not every day you win and battle without receiving a death threat of some sort"

Tripp laughed.

"You have a point; you got any Potions? Weedle's a little tired, and I don't want to use a Super Potion on him"

Rose rummaged in her pack before producing a small purple bottle.

Tripp bent down to his little Pokémon, who was breathing heavily; he barely had the energy to hold himself up.

"Here you go, little guy" Tripp murmured, administering the Potion to Weedle.

When Tripp turned his back to put the empty bottle in his rucksack, Weedle began to glow.

"Tripp!" Rose squealed, pointing at the bug Pokémon.

Tripp started, and clapped his hands loudly at Weedle. The distraction didn't work however, and Weedle continued to glow.

"Weedle! _Weedle_! WEEDLE!"

Tripp shouted until his throat was raw, but to no avail. The evolution continued, and it appeared that Weedle could not be distracted.

When it was finally over, a Kakuna rested where the Weedle had been.

"Weedle?" Tripp asked hesitantly.

"Kakuna" his Pokémon replied.

Tripp turned to Rose, unable to comprehend what had happened.

"But – he – I – why did…huh?"

Rose laughed.

"Very eloquently put. But really – I have no idea…"

"Kakuna, Kakuna!"

"Really?" Rose asked, interested.

"So…you _did_ hear me?" Tripp asked.

"Kak! Kakuna!"

"Weird! Maybe…I suppose you were just too strong to remain a Weedle…"

"I didn't know that was possible!" Rose said, "That a Pokémon could actually become too strong to remain in a certain form! I might ring mum, I wonder if she's heard of it?"

Rose found her very much unused mobile, and dialled her mother's number for the first time since leaving home. A few seconds later, she glanced at her phone in confusion.

"What's up?"

"Dunno…it's not working"

"Probably haven't got any signal – we're pretty high up"

They glanced over the edge of the path, and looked at one another in surprise.

"I'd say we're about a third of the way up!"

"Only two hundred feet to go" Tripp said, his lips twitching.

"Shut up." Rose snapped, "Let's get going – I still want to be over before dinner"

Tripp glanced at his watch; it was already quarter to five. He smiled, but said nothing.

-o-

"Rose, this is ridiculous. I'm starving"

"We're not spending the night on a fucking mountain!" she snarled, "I know we're on track for a simple route, I just _know_ it!"

Tripp wasn't as quick tempered as Rose, but that wasn't to say that his anger was any less impressive when kindled.

"Stop! Just stop _right_ now!"

Rose turned to face him incredulously, her eyes narrowing.

"Are you _reprimanding_ me?" she challenged, fists clenched. She had no problems looking him in the eye any more.

"Yes. I am. You're being ridiculous. We're both hungry, it's fucking cold up here and I know you're tired because you're being irritable!"

"I am not –"

"Yes you are Rose! And you can _listen_ to me! I let you take charge a lot of the time, but not this time. I've been climbing before, you haven't. It's getting dark, and to go much further would be suicide."

Rose's breath came in short, sharp gasps. All the time she had known Tripp, he had never lost his temper with her. She had seen him lose his temper with others, but never with her. She hated to admit it, but she was hurt.

"So," he continued, "I saw a cave back there, about two minutes down from here. We're gonna set up there right? Right?"

Rose didn't trust herself to answer. She was terrified of the mountain and hurt by his outburst. She would not let herself cry, and therefore could not risk speaking.

Tripp rolled his eyes and made his way back down the path. Rose followed in silence.

-o-

Rose was still shocked at Tripp's loss of temper, and was rather reluctant to meet his now cold blue eyes. It was therefore silently that she heated the soup, and handed Tripp his bowl without saying a word.

"Thanks" he said bluntly, before picking up his spoon.

Rose nodded in response, before sitting down to eat herself. The meal was a silent affair. It was too cold to make conversation, but neither really felt like it at that moment. Every time Tripp happened to glance at Rose's shocked face, it made him all the more angry.

_She needs to get over the fact that she isn't always right_, he seethed.

Likewise, when Rose looked at Tripp, she was chilled at his blank facial expression, and his eyes which showed no promise of reconciliation. She shuddered violently, and not from the cold alone.

-o-

Chelsea shivered with fear as she contemplated what Pascalia had asked them to do.

_It's impossible_, she thought, _we can't possibly succeed_.

"And if you don't succeed…" Pascalia need have said no more. She smiled at the looks on the faces of her recruits.

As soon as Pascalia was out of earshot, Chelsea turned to Hielo and Ledus; the green and blue haired men.

"She must be mad!" she whispered furiously, eyes wide.

The men shrugged.

"It's an order," Ledus said.

"But it's impossible! We caught forty-three Spheal and Shellder, and you caught…?"

"Thirty-nine Dewgong"

"That's…eighty-two Pokémon! The Dewgong would have been hard enough, but how can we train Spheal and Shellder to evolve _and_ have intensely powerful ice attacks?" her voice began to rise in her hysteria.

"It has to be done, it's her order" Hielo replied.

"Why does she need all these Pokémon anyway? What's she doing?" pink spots had appeared on Chelsea's cheeks, her eyes were threatening to overflow with tears.

"We don't really know…she's just paying us to do it" Ledus said, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth.

"The orders are getting stranger…but the salary higher" Hielo admitted.

Pascalia walked further into Dill Woods until she came upon her Dragonair, which was feasting on ferrets and pigeons. The sight made her weak stomach growl strangely.

"Have you rested?" she asked the Dragon in the ancient language.

Dragonair looked up, and its yellow eyes met its master's identical ones.

"Yes, thank you" it told her, specks of blood flying from its mouth. Pascalia licked the corner of her mouth where a blood speck had landed. Her stomach growled insistently.

"I have given them their orders, but I know this operation will take time"

"How long?" the Dragon asked.

"I will wait no longer than three months," Pascalia said, "the moment is near, but I must be patient. I have wanted this too long to make a blunder in my haste"

Dragonair glanced up at Dill Rook and shuddered.

"What will be your next motive, when you have succeeded here?"

Pascalia's eyes glowed, and she smiled cruelly.

"First I must gain power. Only then can I exercise my revenge"

She fell hungrily to her knees and in a frenzy began to tear at the bloody remains of the ferrets with her teeth.

-o-

Rose and Tripp pitched their tents near to the mouth of the cave. It was wide but not deep, and Tripp was concerned as to how well they would be protected from the bitter winds. He said nothing however, as he still felt too angry to bother making conversation.

Rose zipped up her tent and began to undress inside. It was incredibly cold, and she felt her skin tighten as her goose pimples formed. She hurriedly threw on her pyjamas and wriggled into her sleeping bag. After ten minutes, she was still shivering violently, so much so that she was beginning to feel quite ill. Her fatigue from their early morning and strenuous climbing combined with the intense cold, made her stomach churn.

_Just relax Rose, focus on your breathing._

She lay on her back and concentrated on both inhaling and exhaling evenly. She couldn't control her convulsions however, and decided to sit up. The cold air on her bare shoulders brought another wave of shivers, and she sighed from exhaustion. Heaving herself up, she scrabbled around her tent for her jumper and socks, pulling them on with numb fingers.

Marginally warmer, she settled down in her sleeping bag, and attempted to relax. She thought of Tripp's face when he shouted at her, and how he looked at her with fury and impatience. She sighed once more through her shuddering and tried to force the incident from her mind. It wasn't possible.

She had always been irritated when they argued, but now her new feelings for Tripp meant that now she only felt hurt – and anger was far easier to deal with. She didn't want to like him, but because of that fact, it only made her desire all the more fervent. She wasn't overly competitive, but if there was something she wanted, she found it incredibly hard not to do everything in her power to get it.

Freezing and miserable, she released her Pokémon from their Pokéballs. They at once sensed her upset, and snuggled in close to her; Pikachu and Eevee on her chest, Oddish to her right, Vulpix to her left and Seadra by her head. She was at once comforted, and felt her body temperature increase slightly. She didn't allow herself to think about Tripp; she would worry about him in the morning. As she felt her eyes become heavy with sleep, she became aware that her Pokémon too had begun to shiver. Sighing, she sat up and returned them to their Pokéballs. Pikachu refused to go back in; he looked up at Rose with worried eyes.

"I'm really fine," she whispered, stroking his ears, "you go back in your Pokéball, I feel much better now"

"Pikachu?" he asked her.

"I promise," she lied, returning him to his Pokéball with a flash of red light.

-o-

Tripp started suddenly when he heard the zip of his tent being tampered with. He had been lying half awake, unable to fully succumb to sleep due to his intense shivering. He sat up and rubbed his eyes to see Rose climbing into his tent, pulling her sleeping bag along with her.

Tripp didn't say a word, but watched her.

Rose turned to him, and seeing that he was awake, gasped in fright.

"Fuck!" she spluttered, her hand over her heart, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you"

To her immense relief, he replied normally.

"I wasn't asleep," he said, his teeth chattering, "too bloody cold"

"Me too; c-can I sleep in here?" she asked nervously, "it's freezing and…" she hesitated.

"And what?"

"I don't fancy being alone" she muttered.

"Of course you can," Tripp said, shifting to the right so there would be room for her to lie down.

Rose arranged her sleeping bag carefully before clambering into it, so as that it wasn't touching Tripp's; she wasn't sure where they stood with one another.

Tripp, noticing this, felt guilty. Although he had been furious with her, he couldn't help but soften when he saw her in the mouth of his tent in her pyjamas, sleeping bag in tow.

"I'm sorry," he said gently.

Rose rolled over to look at him.

"No; I'm sorry. I'm horribly stubborn, and I think it's about time I realised that I'm not always right"

Tripp blinked in shock.

"I don't like fighting with you," she continued softly, "I…you're my best friend"

He noticed her frown as she said this, but couldn't understand why.

"You're my best friend too" he smiled, "and thank you for apologising; but it wasn't just you"

"Thanks" she replied, her teeth beginning to chatter once more.

"It's almost two – shall we try and get some sleep?"

Rose nodded, closing her eyes.

She awoke feeling awful. She was so cold that her feet were throbbing, and she was once again shivering violently. She could see from Tripp's luminous watch hands that it was only half past three. She felt like screaming with frustration; she hated this mountain, and was going to do anything she could to get off it the following day.

"Good sleep?" Tripp asked in the darkness, causing her to jump.

"Jeez!" she gasped, "have you been awake this whole time?"

"Yeah," he sighed dejectedly, "it's too fucking cold – I don't think I can sleep"

They shuffled a little closer to one another, in an attempt to generate some warmth.

"Give me your hands" Tripp said.

"Why?"

"Just do it"

He took her hands in his own, and breathed on them, trying to stimulate the blood flow by massaging them with his own numb fingers.

"Don't worry about it," she sighed, "there's no point"

Tripp unzipped his sleeping bag.

"Where're you going?"

"Nowhere," he replied, "come in here"

"What?"

"Come into my sleeping bag"

Rose was stunned for a moment.

"Really?"

"It'll probably make us warmer," Tripp said, beginning to shiver strongly from the exposal of cold air.

Rose clumsily unzipped her own sleeping bag. Whether from the cold or from nerves she didn't know, but she couldn't get her fingers to work. She climbed awkwardly in next to Tripp, and blushed in the darkness at their closeness.

Tripp's breath caught in his throat as she slid in next to him; he began to breathe raggedly, and felt as though he couldn't take enough air into his lungs.

In an attempt to calm himself, he tried to zip up the sleeping bag that now contained the two of them.

"Rose?" he whispered; she hadn't spoken since she had gotten in next to him.

"Yes?"

"You…" he swallowed, "you need to move a little closer…I-I can't zip up the sleeping bag"

She wriggled nearer to him, but couldn't keep her balance, resting on her side as she was.

Tripp closed his eyes; despite how much he was shivering, his insides felt as though they were burning.

"Put your arms around me…t-to steady yourself"

She complied, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her body close to his.

Tripp managed to close the sleeping bag, but was suddenly terrified as to what to do with his own arms.

Rose gave another pronounced shiver, and instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her waist.

They lay there in silence, somewhat stiffly, hardly daring to breathe.

Tripp realised that despite all the years he had known Rose, they had never been so physically close. They had hugged, albeit both briefly and rarely; in terms of affection, she was very distant.

Rose felt her heart beating erratically at their closeness. She was afraid to breathe properly, lest she make that contact between their chests all the more pronounced. She gave another slight shiver from the cold, and had to stifle a gasp as Tripp pulled her closer.

She couldn't remember the last time she had been physically held by someone, and she wasn't entirely sure how to react. In the small space all she could do was hug Tripp back, however, and the warmth between them intensified.

Tripp smiled into Rose's hair, above her head, where she could not see. He knew that they wouldn't work, and that she didn't want him anyway, but he was happy to be able to hold her – just this once.

-o-

The next morning, Tripp awoke alone. He heard movement outside the tent, and unzipped it.

Rose was preparing breakfast outside the cave. Hearing the zip, she turned blushing, and managed a shrill "Morning!"

Tripp tried not to mind. She was bound to be embarrassed.

_If I act normal, she will_.

"What's for breakfast?" he asked, pulling his jeans on.

"Just bread rolls," Rose replied normally, much to Tripp's relief.

As he was eating, Rose packed away his tent; she had done hers already.

"Thank you for last night," she garbled, "I think I would have frozen to death if we hadn't -"

She blushed at this point.

"Same goes for you!" Tripp smiled, with what he hoped was nonchalance, "hopefully we'll get over this thing today though" he added, "I don't fancy another night like last night"

Rose bit her lip to prevent herself from retorting sulkily.

_He means because it was cold, not because he didn't want to share a sleeping bag with you. Stop being silly._

"You finished?" she managed to ask, "do you want to get going?"

The mountain trail was growing increasingly more difficult. There were times when their rucksacks had to be thrown onto the next jutting ledge, because it was too difficult to climb efficiently with them banging against their backs.

After a particularly strenuous climb, the pair leant back against the rock face, panting. Rose pulled her jumper off before taking a gracious gulp of water.

"The change in weather is ridiculous," Tripp said, also removing his jumper, "how can it be so bloody hot now, and fucking _freezing_ at night?"

Rose shrugged before blushing again.

"Let's hope we don't have to resort to _that_ again," she said, her voice light.

Tripp scrutinized her before replying, "I quite enjoyed it"

"Haha, very funny", she said, her heart beating hopefully nonetheless. She stood up and tied her jumper around her waist, "C'mon, let's get going"

Tripp frowned in confusion as he followed her. She hadn't looked him in the eye once.

Did she enjoy it? Or didn't she? He tugged at his hair in frustration, as he continued to follow his friend up the treacherous path.

-o-

It was approaching five o'clock when the pair came across a ledge of about twenty-five feet – not far from the mountain top.

"We can't possibly climb that," Rose said, her voice quavering.

Tripp looked down from where they had just come.

"We're going to have to," he said. He was whiter than usual, but his mouth was set in grim determination, "it's far too dangerous to go back down again, we'll break our necks"

Rose sighed as she looked down, realising that what he said was very much the truth.

"Right. Well. I suppose we need to use the picks?"

Tripp nodded in confirmation. He noticed that her hands were shaking as she unzipped her rucksack.

"Hey," he took her by the hands and pulled her into a standing position. Rose gulped as their eyes locked.

"You'll be fine okay?" he smiled before releasing her hands. Rose couldn't help but feel disappointed despite her fear.

_You can't have him. He's your friend. It wouldn't work. Stop it Rose, just stop it!_

She smiled, composing herself, shocking Tripp as always with the apparent ease with which she appeared able to do so.

"May as well start," she said, pulling the pick from her bag and eyeing it apprehensively.

"Okay; think of the pick as a sort of like a 'super hand'" Tripp started. Rose's lips twitched.

"I mean treat it as another hand – you still need your other one, the pick's just there in case you lose your footing"

Rose nodded sternly. She wasn't going to allow the fear to set in. She would climb this rock face, and she would not crumble.

-o-

"Come on! You can do it! Move your right foot slightly to the left! There's a good foothold there!" Tripp called from the top of the rock face. It was a lot smoother than he had anticipated, but he managed to climb it first, and was directing Rose to the deepest grooves in the stone.

"You haven't got much further to go…come on Rose!"

Rose felt her foot slip and gasped. Closing her eyes, she forced her body to relax, her right hand clasped tightly around the pick, the fingers of her left hand gripping the stone with all her might. Slowly and carefully she felt along the rock face with her right foot, keeping her eyes closed until she felt the foothold that Tripp was referring to. With a supreme effort she heaved herself upwards, and her pick drove into the charcoal-grey rock once more. With one more heave she was within Tripp's reach, and he hauled her up on top of the rock face and into his arms.

"Thank fuck," he whispered over and over as he held her tightly.

"It's fine," she muttered from where her cheek was crushed against his chest, "I'm up"

"I was so bloody terrified! When your foot slipped…jeez Rose! I thought you were dead meat!"

She managed a shaky laugh.

"Well, it's fine now, I made it, let's forget about it"

"It's just gone six o'clock" Tripp said, checking his watch, "d'you want dinner?"

"Yeah," Rose said, still trying to regain her breath. Adrenaline was coursing through her body, and her fingertips were numb and raw from her long climb.

"I'll do it," Tripp said, pulling on his jumper; it had begun to get cold again.

-o-

They ate their soup whilst the sun was setting, the night becoming velvety black in a surprisingly short amount of time.

"Can't believe we have to spend another night here" Rose sighed. Secretly, part of her had been hoping for this. She wondered if the same thing was going to happen as the night before. She was ashamed that she wanted it too.

"I think it's going to be colder tonight, too" Tripp remarked, starting to shiver a little.

Rose had to hide her nervous smile.

"Yeah…hopefully I'll get a little more sleep than last night"

Tripp looked over at her, his expression unreadable.

"We didn't go to sleep until at least half past three," she continued.

"We'll get an early night tonight"

Rose nodded silently. Her nerves were exhilarating her. She didn't know what was going to happen. Was he embarrassed from the night before? Did he assume they would share a sleeping bag again? She didn't see how they could possibly sleep otherwise.

Still unsure, she began to unpack her tent. Tripp watched her, but made no move to set up his own.

"Are we sleeping in yours tonight then?" he asked casually.

Rose turned her head sharply in his direction, her eyes wide.

"We don't have to!" Tripp said, backtracking in panic, "we could just wait and see if we get too cold?"

Rose didn't take her eyes from his as she answered, slowly.

"What would be the point in that? Especially if it's colder tonight. I'm sure one more night will be fine"

She turned back around in order to continue pitching her tent. Tripp didn't know how or why, but he was breathing incredibly heavily.

"D-d'you want me to do that?" he stammered.

"What? Now I've finished?" Rose laughed, "I'm going to put my pyjamas on – I'll tell you when to come in"

She disappeared inside the tent, before zipping it up. Outside, Tripp began to pace.

_What's wrong with you? Control yourself! There is no reason to feel like this! We're only sharing a sleeping bag…_

"Come in!" he heard her call.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts and swallowing hard, he clambered inside her tent.

She was already in the sleeping bag, her long hair tumbling down her back. As Tripp began to undress, Rose forced herself to look elsewhere. He climbed in next to her, and she once again wrapped her arms around his neck so that he could zip up the sleeping bag.

The light of the day faded completely as they lay together in silence.

"So much for easy routes huh?" Tripp said. He was very aware that his arms were wrapped around her small waist and that her warm breath was tickling his neck slightly.

"Hmm," she replied, "I genuinely thought we'd get over it in an afternoon…"

Tripp smiled to himself as he realised how desperately she was trying to speak normally.

They lay together in silence for another while. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but both felt as though it needed breaking for an unexplainable reason.

Tripp was beginning to grow too warm. Although it was freezing outside, their combined body heat was getting to be too much.

"Let me up a second," he whispered. Rose removed her arms from around his neck and allowed him to sit up.

She was grateful for the darkness when she sensed him removing his t-shirt; her cheeks were traitorously red.

"Why did you do that?" she whispered when the sleeping bag had been zipped up once again. She could feel her blood pounding in her ears.

"I was getting too hot," he murmured in her ear.

The feeling of his bare skin terrified Rose. She grew unbearably hot all over, and leant back from his chest in order to breathe.

"Are you okay?" he whispered.

"I-I'm fine. I…I just…"

She leant slightly further back so that she could look at him. She found it odd talking to Tripp without being able to see his face.

As her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she realised that Tripp's own eyes were fixed on hers. His face mirrored exactly how she herself felt. His eyes were unusually bright, and his cheeks flushed. His lips were parted slightly, and his breathing was uneven.

Rose felt a swoop in her stomach. At the same time it made her feel sick and invigorated.

Tripp closed his eyes, and she did too. His hands on her waist felt as though they were burning through her skin, which had begun to tingle strangely.

He pulled her closer so that there was no space between their bodies. Rose felt his warm breath on her cheek, and her teeth began to chatter. But this time it wasn't from the cold.

-o-

Tripp tilted his head forwards so that their foreheads were touching. He could feel her chest heaving from the ragged breaths she was taking. His hands were shaking. Her pyjama top had ridden up slightly so that an inch of her skin was on display. He could feel the smooth skin of her waist; it was burning hot, despite the fact that the ground outside was developing a layer of frost.

Whether she could ever like him or not, Tripp didn't care at that moment. Like him, she was burning, her breathing was harsh, she hadn't pulled away when he pulled her closer.

As his lips brushed hers, her whole body tensed, yet she sighed softly. Tripp lifted a hand from her waist and stroked her face with the back of it. Her closed eyelids fluttered, and she pressed herself closer to him.

Their lips met again, tentatively at first, and then more urgently. Desperately they clung to one another, unable to feel physically close enough.

Rose felt dizzy; she could feel the hot blood pumping around her body; every touch made her gasp. Tripp could barely breathe; his hands caressed Rose's small waist as he continued to kiss her, the heat between their bodies building.

The feel of her smooth lips moving against his exhilarated him. Just as he was wondering if he would ever be able to pull away, she did it for him.

"Wh-"

"Shh" she whispered softly, placing a shaking finger to his lips.

Moving in closer, she rested her head upon his chest, and closed her eyes.

Tripp was stunned at what had just occurred. Holding her tightly in his arms, he attempted to steady his breathing. Her abrupt end to the kiss would have bothered him somewhat, could he not feel her own heart beating wildly against his own.

-o-

Once again, Tripp awoke alone. He blinked slowly as he registered what had taken place the night before. He could hear Rose bustling around outside the tent preparing breakfast, and suddenly became terrified.

_What the hell do I say to her?_ He thought, his heart racing. His palms became clammy, and he wiped them on his pyjama bottoms as he paced the tent.

"Tripp? You awake?"

"Y-yeah!" he managed to croak.

"Well breakfast is ready when you are!"

He swore under his breath as he realised that he had no choice but to go outside. He pulled on his t-shirt and jeans before clambering out of the tent. Their eyes locked immediately, and they both looked away from one another just as rapidly. Rose smiled inwardly as she realised that Tripp's face mirrored exactly how she felt; confused, shocked and elated.

"Bread rolls again I'm afraid" she said, handing him his plate.

She sat opposite him and continued to eat her breakfast. Tripp was baffled by her normal behaviour. Had she _forgotten_ what had happened? _Had_ it even happened? Tripp frowned to himself as he absentmindedly picked at his bread roll.

"You okay?"

He looked up to find her brown eyes unusually bright, despite her sombre face.

_Of course I didn't imagine it._

"Y-yeah. I'm –" his voice died in his throat and he struggled to clear it.

Rose raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"I think we should get moving," he muttered, "get over this mountain and find the next city"

Rose nodded in agreement, desperately trying to convince herself that everything was normal, lest she did or said anything she would regret.

-o-

Later on that morning, to Rose's despair, Pikachu disappeared. After nearly twenty minutes of frantically calling for the electric Pokémon, he appeared over a large boulder, speaking rapidly in his excitement.

"Pikachu! Pika pika!"

"You've found a way over?!" Tripp exclaimed joyously.

"Pika!" Pikachu replied in affirmation.

"Oh thank God!" Rose gasped, sinking weakly to her knees.

"Pika Pikachu chu chu!" Pikachu continued seriously, waving his small yellow paws.

"Well, that's no problem" Tripp said, "Geodude will easily be able to shift the few rocks in the way!"

After some hard work from Tripp and Geodude, they managed to uncover the pathway that Pikachu had found, and to their immense surprise, they managed to navigate their way down with relative ease (hindered only by the herd of wild Phanpy that appeared determined to knock them over the side of the ledge – until Rose managed to capture one).

They had been rather quiet with one another, neither sure what the other really thought. There was no chance of either of them having the courage to bring it up. Although Tripp was obviously aware of the situation, Rose felt as though she were trying to keep it a secret from him. She shook her head slightly.

_Ridiculous_, she thought.

As they clambered down the last few feet of the mountain, Rose's phone began to ring shrilly.

"It's Cristine!" she gasped.

"Answer it! Put her on loudspeaker!"

"Hello?"

"Hi Rose! It's Cristine!" Cristine's crackly voice reverberated around the peaceful clearing.

"Hi! How are you?"

"I'm great thanks – been trying to contact you for the last couple of days…"

"Yeah, we've been climbing Tarragon Mountain…"

"Really? Why didn't you get the train?"

Rose looked mutinous.

"The train?"

"Yeah! It runs from Fenugreek to Woodruff and then back to Tarragon!"

"Oh…well. We weren't aware of that"

Cristine laughed through the phone.

"Well next time you will be! Anyway – I was calling about the Dewgong"

Rose's mouth fell open; she had completely forgotten about the Dewgong in the lake, what with the mountain and her feelings for Tripp…remembering their kiss she blushed deeply. It was as though she'd only just realised…

"Hello? Rose?" Cristine asked down the phone.

"Why're you blushing?" Tripp hissed.

"I…uh…yeah! Sorry…what about the Dewgong?"

"Well, I think you were right" she said grimly, "obviously it needs further investigation, but their numbers_ have_ declined, and rapidly"

"Really?" Rose asked, interested again, "So what's going to happen?"

"Well, it would be useful to use you two as witnesses, because obviously I haven't seen what you have; the main Police Station's in Tarragon City, so that's nice and handy for you…"

"Yeah of course we'll do it!"

"Thanks Rose; I really want to get to the bottom of this, and it's hard work trying to do so when the Champion has no interest…"

"We'll be glad to help!"

"Thanks so much! I've already informed the Police of the situation so you just need to go in and tell them who you're working with,"

"We will, don't worry!"

"Thanks again guys, like I said, I really want to get to the bottom of this,"

"No problem!"

"I've got to go now, but I'll let you know if anything else comes up, yeah?"

"Yes please! Thanks Cristine! Bye!"

"Bye! And thanks again!"

"Wow," Tripp said grinning, "sounds like we're on to something…"

"Exciting that we have to go to the Police Station" said Rose, her eyes dancing.

"I'm just excited to be in a city again!" Tripp laughed, "Let's go!"

**A.N:**

**So…a rather, er – **_**eventful**_** chapter! Perhaps if my review count rises I'll let you know what happens next, if not…well; could I be so cruel? ;D**

**Love A. x**


	11. Chapter 11

Tarragon City was the largest they had been to yet. It was the up-and-coming city, full of suave restaurants and formal venues. Numerous parks adorned it, each boasting a marble fountain and winding paths, where benches were situated artistically amongst the fragrant flowers. The Police Station was on the street behind the Pokémon Centre, and Rose and Tripp made their way there after having had lunch and showered in the Trainer's Lodge.

"How can I help you?" Officer Jenny asked as Rose and Tripp approached the information desk.

"Er – we have some information for you I think" Tripp started.

Officer Jenny frowned.

"Information regarding what?"

"Cristine told us to come" Rose said.

"Ah, indeed. Come this way" Officer Jenny led them to a back room where an Inspector was waiting.

"Hello," she said shaking their hands warmly, "my name is Inspector Jane; we've been waiting for you two – Rose and Tripp is it? Cristine says you may have valuable information…"

"We think so," Tripp said, "we believe that the case of Elliot and the missing Dewgong, Spheal and Shellder are all linked"

"Cristine did tell us something of the sort, can you elaborate?"

Rose explained the conversation they witnessed between Elliot and the men at the lake, and how she realised that all the Pokémon that went missing were either ice-type or evolved into them.

Officer Jane looked impressed.

"Your information is very interesting. We will most certainly investigate. As it was Cristine who alerted us to these incidences, we will report back to her, although I'm sure she will keep you updated"

"Thank you very much" Tripp grinned, as they shook hands with the Inspector once more, before leaving the Police Station to explore the city.

-o-

"Do we really have to visit the Professor?" Tripp groaned, staring straight in front of him.

"Of course we do, stop complaining" Rose answered. She too kept her gaze ahead. She knew if her eyes met Tripp's she would most definitely blush – and she was finding it hard enough to act normally as it was.

Likewise, Tripp was almost afraid to meet Rose's eyes. There had been no mention of the night before all day, and he couldn't help wondering what she thought of all of it.

_Considering she said she thinks of me as a brother_…

He shook his head. That thought he could definitely disregard. If she did consider him a brother, she wouldn't have kissed him like that, she _couldn't_ have. He was at the same time desperate to talk about it, and desperate not to. It was therefore both a relief and a grievance that Rose had no intention of bringing it up.

Rose shivered and pulled her jacket tighter around her body. The howling winds were bitter, and Rose realised with a shudder of both excitement and terror that it was only going to get colder come nightfall.

_Of course it's nowhere near as cold as the mountain…but suppose it's too cold to sleep again…?_

She remembered with a gasp the electricity between them the night before, and how rapidly the heat had built between their bodies, her own desperation to be closer to him. She gulped quietly. If she was once again placed in the same situation, she didn't think she would have the self-restraint to pull away again…

Tripp stopped walking abruptly.

"What're you -"

"It's the Gym," he interrupted, "I know you don't want to see the Professor any more than I do…so what do you say?"

Rose unthinkingly looked up at him, and her stomach swooped once more. Tripp's blue eyes bored into hers, she could feel her blood heating her skin, could feel a faint flush creeping up her neck…

Her look terrified Tripp. He wanted nothing more than to take her face in his hands and kiss her again. But he couldn't. They weren't meant to be, and he wasn't going to hurt himself further. He looked away, breaking eye contact and held open the door of the Gym for her.

Rose looked down, disappointed, and began to chew her bottom lip nervously. Had he not felt what she felt?

_He couldn't have_, she thought feeling sick, _if he did he wouldn't have hesitated to kiss me, just as I wouldn't have done if he'd waited one second longer…_

Her train of thought was cut off as the Gym door closed behind them, and a voice spoke.

"Only one of you may enter at a time", said a man. He was dressed impeccably smartly, in a tail-coat with a black bow-tie, his hair slicked back with wax.

"Oh…okay" Tripp managed, staring at the butler-like figure in confusion.

"Do you want to go first?" Rose muttered, very interested in her Pokéball belt.

"Sure," he shrugged, and hitching his rucksack further up his back, he made his way through the heavy wooden door, into the Gym beyond.

As soon as the door closed, Rose sank to the ground and cradled her head in her hands, ignoring the strange looks that the butler-like man was giving her.

"Are you nervous?" he asked, after she had sighed for the fourth time.

Rose smiled humourlessly.

"No, I'm not." She hadn't given the Gym battle a thought.

"Well you have a right to be" the man said, sounding affronted, "Callisto hasn't lost a battle since she became Gym Leader"

Rose's interest was sparked against her will.

"Really? What type does she train?"

"Ghost" the butler-figure replied simply.

Rose considered this. Ghost type. No normal type moves would affect Ghost Pokémon. She frowned slightly to herself. That didn't pose too much of a problem, it must be Callisto herself, and the way she trained her Pokémon, that made her so unbeatable.

-o-

Tripp gasped as Geodude fell to the floor – he was his last hope. Callisto smiled serenely from the other end of her battle chamber, before returning Shuppet to its Pokéball.

"You battled bravely," she said, her clear voice reverberating off the stone walls, "but it was not enough. You may leave"

Tripp closed his eyes in horror and humiliation, and turned to leave the way he had come in; the sooner the better.

"No," Callisto said, gesturing to a door to the left of her, "you will leave this way"

Frowning, Tripp made his way across the chamber and out into a back-street, gulping at the fresh air gratefully.

-o-

There was a faint click, and the butler tested the handle of the heavy wooden door.

"Callisto is ready, if you are?"

"Ready? You mean Tripp has finished? So soon? Where is he?"

"Are you ready to battle or not, young lady?"

"Yes, I am" Rose said, glaring insolently at the man, before making her way haughtily through the door.

The first thing she noticed was the smell. The room, or chamber was perhaps a better word, was stiflingly warm and reeked of sickly incense that was burning in brackets set in the stone walls. At the far end of the chamber, standing against a wall inscribed with hieroglyphics, was a young woman. Her ash-blonde hair waved gently down her back, and her violet eyes were framed with inky black lashes. She was clothed in dark, floating material which seemed to ripple slightly as though made of liquid.

"Hello, my name is Callisto" she smiled quietly.

"I'm Rose – where's Tripp?"

"Your friend has finished his battle, and gone"

"Did he win?"

"That is not for me to say"

Rose glowered.

"Are you ready?" Callisto asked.

Rose nodded. Her head felt heavy, the incense was making her feel drowsy. She removed her coat and jumper.

"We will each use three Pokémon – is that agreed?"

"Yes"

"Good. I choose Shuppet!"

"Go Seadra!"

"Use Confusion!"

Seadra reeled in pain, his eyes closing.

"Use Water Gun!"

The attack missed – Seadra's eyes were still tightly shut from pain.

"Shadowball Shuppet!"

Rose gasped and shielded her face from the force of the attack. Inevitably, as she looked up, she saw that Seadra had fainted. After only two attacks.

It was with a shaking hand that Rose selected her second Pokéball. Pikachu's electric attacks were sure to be helpful here.

"Come on Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!"

The attack hit, and critically, but still Shuppet returned to battle determinedly.

"Use Shadowball!"

Pikachu fell to the floor, but rose again, adamant not to be beaten.

"Shockwave Pikachu!"

"Show it your Confusion, Shuppet!"

Pikachu yelped in pain, barely able to stand anymore.

Rose began to sweat freely; Pikachu was her strongest Pokémon, and this Shuppet was almost playing with him. Rose had a sickening suspicion that Callisto was merely warming up.

"Nightshade! Now!"

With a final yelp, Pikachu fell to the floor, defeated.

Rose felt sick as she registered that she was going to lose. She only had one Pokémon left against three of Callisto's, seeing as she hadn't had a chance to train her Phanpy yet. Neither Seadra nor Pikachu had left a substantial mark on Shuppet.

"I choose Vulpix" Rose's voice was hollow, flat.

"Use Confusion!"

Vulpix squealed and flinched.

"Flamethrower Vulpix!"

But Vulpix in her confusion attacked herself, and like her friends before her, fainted.

Rose returned her Pokémon to her Pokéball lifelessly, and lifted her eyes to those of Callisto.

"Don't give up. Like your friend before you, you are a strong trainer, you are merely undisciplined. You will not be able to beat me with physical strength alone, however. You must have strength of mind"

Rose nodded, unable to speak. Blood was roaring in her head. She had lost. She had failed. She realised that she was wrong in believing she wasn't competitive. It was only that she had never failed in anything that she truly cared about.

She wasn't aware that she had stepped outside until she was hit with a wave of air so cool and fresh compared to the interior of the Gym that it almost made her feel giddy.

"Rose?" Tripp asked, concern evident in his voice, "Are you all right?"

Rose's stony face cracked into a smile as she registered that Tripp's face must have mirrored hers exactly; blank and shocked.

"Well, she's a good trainer…I suppose I'll give her that"

"Did you lose too?" Tripp said, trying and failing to hide his relief.

Rose managed a strangled laugh.

"I didn't _lose_…I was annihilated"

"So was I," Tripp gushed, pleased that he could talk about it with an empathetic listener, "she literally wiped out three of my Pokémon with one of hers"

"Same, it was humiliating"

Tripp nodded in agreement.

"I suppose that was a sign that we should stop faffing and go and see the Professor"

Tripp groaned.

"I suppose we can't put it off any longer" he grumbled, back to avoiding her eyes.

-o-

They stood outside the red-brick Laboratory, their mouths slightly agape.

"It looks like…a palace or something" Tripp whispered.

The building was impressive. Standing at five stories high, with an east and west turret and innumerable paned windows, it was easily the most imposing building in the city.

"The Professor lives _here_?" Rose asked incredulously.

The pair moved forward slightly, towards the black, wrought-iron gates. They eyed the intercom nervously.

"Shall we?" Rose asked, trying to appear nonchalant

"I suppose so," Tripp shrugged and jabbed the button.

The intercom crackled, before a female voice asked: "Tarragon Pokémon Laboratory, please state your name and business"

"Er, Rose and Tripp…we have a Pokémon to show the Professor?"

"One moment please"

Rose and Tripp exchanged glances.

"Are you sure he was being literal when he said to come here? It seems a bit…formal"

"I don't know!" Rose hissed, feeling rather out of place and uncomfortable, "I'm just doing as he asked!"

They started as the intercom crackled once more.

"Rose and Tripp? Please come through"

There was a loud clunk as the gates unlocked, and Rose and Tripp made their way up the colossal driveway before arriving at the still more colossal front door.

-o-

The interior of the Laboratory, at first sight, was no different from an upper class hotel. The expansive entrance hall was covered in plush carpet, and an enormous chandelier hung from the lofty ceiling. Two curving staircases met on a landing on the second floor, their mahogany banisters gleaming. Daylight filtered in gently from ceiling length windows, glinting off the frames of the paintings that hung on the papered walls.

As Rose and Tripp took in their surroundings in awe, Professor Willow appeared on the first floor landing, and made his hobbling way down one of the curving staircases.

"Aha! You have arrived! And rather sooner than I expected…you're both blooming I see!"

Rose smiled at the old man, and surprised herself in that she found his pompous manner rather amusing, when it had in fact been the thing she was dreading most about this visit.

"Hello Professor Willow, it's lovely to see you again", Rose grinned, shaking his hand warmly.

"Are you both well? You're looking rather peaky" the old man exclaimed happily.

"Lovely to see you again," Tripp said through gritted teeth. He wanted to get this over with.

"Now, we need to have a long talk, you two and I, so I presume you will accept my offer of dinner?"

"A long talk?" Tripp asked indignantly, "I thought you just wanted to see what the eggs hatched into?"

The Professor laughed heartily, the sound startling from so small a frame.

"Of course I know what the eggs hatched into! I only appeared not to so as to make it more exciting for you!"

"But Professor," Rose asked, "If you knew that the eggs were in fact Eevees, why did you give them to us? And why do you want to see us now?"

"Questions, questions! My Elliot is the same…sadly he will not put this healthy questioning to research as he should…" the old man sighed. "Your questions, and more, will all be answered in due course. But we shall start this evening – if you two care to accept my dinner invitation?"

"Of course" Rose said quickly; anything to find out what the Professor was planning.

"In that case I will see to it that your rooms are prepared"

"Our rooms?" Tripp asked, glancing at Rose worriedly.

"Why of course…all will be explained in due course, as I have said,"

"But Professor-"

"Calm yourself child," he chided Rose, "the proposition I will make you this evening is not compulsory, is that understood? If you do not accept it, you are free to go back to sleeping rough"

"We don't sleep –"

"Later Tripp, my dear boy, later. Now, off you go and explore the city, but kindly return by seven o'clock. Dinner will be served at half past"

-o-

"It's not going too badly," Hielo told Ledus as he poured over the figures, "all the Spheal and Shellder have been elevated to level twenty-five so far, which is fine as Spheal will evolve at thirty-three…"

"And Shellder?"

"That's the issue; they need a water stone to evolve, else they won't be ice type"

"Where the hell are we supposed to find twenty-one water stones?"

"I have sorted that"

Hielo and Ledus jumped as Pascalia entered the cave, closely followed by Chelsea.

"You have?"

"There is no need to sound so incredulous Ledus," Pascalia said icily.

"I-I wasn't, I –"

"Hush, and listen. In Tarragon Laboratory, they are currently conducting experiments on evolution. According to Dragonair they have a large store of stones, water ones included. I have a blue-print of the Laboratory, it is up to you two to break in, undetected, and steal those stones"

Chelsea gasped at the enormity of the task, but Hielo and Ledus merely nodded.

"I do not want any stupid blunders made, and for this reason I expect the stones no earlier than in one month"

After giving her order, Pascalia stalked out of the cave, once again followed by Chelsea, who had been building the little courage she possessed for this moment.

"Mistress," she asked, the name slipping off her tongue awkwardly, "I-I wish to speak with you"

Pascalia turned sharply and scrutinized Chelsea with her yellow eyes. Although now used to the colour, Chelsea could not help but be repulsed. But she forced herself to continue.

"I want to know…why. Why you're doing…what you're doing"

Pascalia snarled inwardly. She had regretted recruiting Chelsea from almost the beginning. Hielo and Ledus never questioned her, and that was how she liked it. Chelsea was, however, in too deep to be let out, and therefore the only option left was convincing her.

Letting out an audible sigh, Pascalia perched herself on a mossy boulder on the leafy ground of Dill Woods, and motioned that Chelsea should sit on the floor before her.

"I am doing…what I am doing, to fight injustice."

Chelsea blinked in surprise; she had not expected this answer.

"You, I assume, grew up in Sesame?"

Chelsea nodded in affirmation.

"I did not. I grew up in Blackthorn City in Johto, yet even I know of the case of the Garchomp"

"You mean the Garchomp Rampage?"

"Yes; although it was nearly ten years ago now, the people of Sesame still fear the rage of the dragon type Pokémon. However, as a Dragon Tamer, I know that the Garchomp herd would not have destroyed Annatto City for no reason - as the press claimed. I am not saying that they are not dangerous creatures. They can be, that is certainly true, but I believe they were provoked"

"Why would they be provoked?"

"My theory is that the trainer who rounded them up and imprisoned them, was trying to create glory for himself, and so enraged the Garchomp secretly before trapping them before the public eye."

"But what has this to do with anything? Surely if they're trapped and everyone is safe-"

"Is it fair that they should be trapped?"

"They're dangerous, they attack-"

"They will only attack now because they will be furious at being imprisoned in the mountain. I however plan to reason with the Garchomp…"

Chelsea gasped.

"But how- ?"

"I am a Dragon Tamer. It's what I do"

"But humans can't understand dragons like they can other Pokémon…that's why we can barely train them…"

"I can speak to them," Pascalia said softly.

Chelsea pondered this, and attempted not to look awed.

"…and you're sure they're safe?"

"Of course they are…they will be when I tame them and set them free"

"And…that's all you're doing?"

"Yes," Pascalia lied.

"But then why didn't you just tell me? Tell everyone? Why is it secret?"

"People are petrified of the Garchomp. If they knew what I was doing they would attempt to stop me"

"So the Garchomp…aren't crazed?"

"Not in that way. They will be now, confined as they are, but more than anything they are sad and hopeless"

Chelsea nodded as she looked into the sinister, yet earnest eyes of the beautiful young woman.

"I understand now," she said, "and I will do all I can to help you"

Chelsea made her way back to the cave to discuss tactics with Hielo and Ledus, determined to be an asset.

Pascalia threw back her head and laughed.

-o-

"Please, leave your rucksacks in the hall" Professor Willow's housekeeper insisted, "they will be taken to your rooms whilst you have dinner"

Tripp glared at the housekeeper, and tried to catch Rose's eye. Even in their current strange state he needed to communicate how unimpressed he was with this arrangement. As they made their way into the vast dining hall, complete with mahogany table and solid silver candelabras, he hissed, "What the hell are we doing here? If he tries to take my Eevee…and what the hell makes him think we're going to stay the night?!"

Rose shushed him as she realised that there were already people seated at the dinner table. Two teenagers in fact, who looked to be about the same age as them.

As they neared the table they realised that they had been allocated seats. Tripp was to be sat opposite Rose and beside the girl whose name setting read 'Amy'. Ruby was sat next to 'Jay', who in turn was opposite Amy.

They sat awkwardly in silence for a few moments before Professor Willow came unsteadily into the room and took his place at the head of the table.

"Good evening youngsters! As you all know, I am Professor Willow, and although you do not yet know one another, you are all here at my invitation. Jay and Amy, may I introduce Rose and Tripp? Jay and Amy are twins you know" the Professor added conversationally.

Before any of the stunned teenagers could say a word, the first course was brought in.

"Our first starter is the Jerusalem Artichoke Soup" the old Professor said with relish. All four teenagers picked up their spoons tentatively and began to eat. Rose could tell that the twins too had no real idea why they were here. They meal was a rather quiet, awkward affair, the only noises being made by the Professor as he slurped, chewed and crunched his way through the Jerusalem Artichoke Soup, the Blood Orange, Radicchio and Pomegranate Salad, the Beef Wellington with Potatoes Dauphinoise, the Chicken with Grapes, Goat's Cheese and Pine Nuts, the Twice Baked Pistachio and Dark Chocolate Soufflé and finally the Mango and Raspberry Sorbet.

Only Professor Willow managed to finish more than three courses. Much of the meal, for the teenagers, was spent sat in silence and trying not to make awkward eye contact. In a bid to avoid Tripp's eyes in particular, Rose couldn't help but notice the way that Amy, the girl he was sat next to, kept throwing him hopeful looks. Had Rose not been so preoccupied and strangely sickened by this sight, she would undoubtedly have felt the eyes of Jay - which were constantly upon her face.

When he had finally finished, Professor Willow addressed the group for the second time. Tripp turned to face the Professor and thus caught the eye of Amy who had been staring at him. She turned red and snapped her head around to face the Professor. Rose noticed that Tripp looked very much confused, but also quietly pleased at the exchange. Rose's stomach felt strangely hot and sick. She felt furious at Trip and contemptuous of the girl, although she wasn't entirely sure why. Jay she didn't give a second glance to.

"Now, I hope you all enjoyed your dinner! I certainly did!" the old man belched richly, his tiny frame seeming to reverberate with the sound. Trip felt momentarily astonished that such a small man could have put away such a vast quantity of food, and with such apparent ease.

"We have much to discuss in the morning, you four and I. But for now it's off to bed with you. You will all need an early night. Breakfast will be served at eight o'clock. Now, boys, you will find your bedrooms in the West Wing, and girls, yours are in the East. Toodlepip!"

With that, he hobbled out of the vast doorway, and further into the manor.

After a few moments silence, Tripp turned to face Rose.

"What on earth was that?" he asked. She felt that all too familiar jolt in her stomach as their eyes locked. Still angry with him however, she looked away and could not bring herself to reply.

"It was weird wasn't it?" Amy simpered, looking at Tripp for attention. Tripp tore his eyes away from Rose angrily. He had no idea why she was suddenly acting like a stuck-up bitch.

He looked at Amy whose grey eyes were staring into his face earnestly. She was quite pretty, he thought, but he couldn't help but be reminded of a small and very insistent dog.

"Very weird," Trip replied, ignoring Rose, whose blood had begun to boil at Amy's forwardness.

"Y-you're Rose, right?" she heard somewhere from her right, and turning around came face to face with Jay for the first time. Like Amy he had soft grey eyes, and like Amy he was staring into her face so earnestly it seemed to border on desperation.

"Yes." She said shortly, aware that Tripp and Amy were now in conversation together.

"Oh, cool" Jay said, softly.

Rose felt guilty, and tried to engage him in conversation whilst simultaneously trying to listen to what Amy had to say to Tripp.

"So where're you two from?" she asked through gritted teeth as she heard Amy laugh shrilly at Trip's description of how boring Chicory Town was and how his whole life he had wanted nothing more to get away from there. He was acting very differently to how she had ever seen him - almost arrogantly. She realised that she had never really seen him interact with any other girl their own age.

"Annatto City" Jay said, excited that he had finally gotten Rose to talk to him.

"What?" she snapped, turning back and glaring at him, her bright brown eyes blazing.

"You…asked where we were from?" he said apologetically.

Rose breathed deeply and tried to compose herself. She couldn't help but be irritated by the timid Jay.

"Oh right. Lovely" she said sarcastically.

Tripp recognised her tone of voice and looked across the table to see Rose with that dangerous light in her eyes, glaring at Amy's brother. He wondered what on earth Jay might have said to make her so angry.

"To bed I said!" shrieked Professor Willow, popping his head around the door in astonishment. "I meant what I said -chop chop!" he clapped. So shocked at being told what to do, the four teenagers simply rose and made their way to their bedrooms, Rose and Amy taking the left staircase, and Tripp and Jay the right.

"Well, goodnight!" Amy said breathily to Trip, after hugging her brother.

"Goodnight" Tripp said pleasantly. He noticed that Rose was staring determinedly in the other direction. "Goodnight Rose" he said deliberately loudly, his eyes narrowed in both confusion and annoyance.

"Sleep tight" she snapped scathingly, before stormily making her way up the staircase.

Her attitude infuriated Tripp, who couldn't think what on earth he had done to deserve such treatment from her. He was hurt, but more so he was angry. He didn't want her to get the last word.

"Thank God it's not cold tonight," he shouted after her, "I couldn't bear another night like the last".

She turned back open mouthed, and the shock in her wide brown eyes gave him the satisfaction he had been looking for. She turned away from his own cold, blue eyes and ran up the remaining stairs, hurt and fury rolling in her stomach.

Trip watched her go with satisfaction. He didn't really know why he said what he did, but he hoped he had hurt her more than she hurt him.

Jay and Amy stood on the landing between the two staircases, unsure what to make of the situation.

"Goodnight!" he called pleasantly to them, before making his own unhurried way to his bedroom.

"Are they brother and sister?" Jay asked, as soon as Trip was out of sight.

"No…" Amy said frowning, "Tripp said they were just friends…" she nibbled her fingernails in thought.

"You like him, don't you?" Jay probed.

Amy turned to her brother in shock.

"Was I that obvious?" she whispered in mortification.

"No," Jay lied kindly, "I just know you well"

"You don't think he likes her do you?" Amy asked, nervously.

"No…no I don't think so…" Jay frowned. He did think, however, that they had a very strange friendship. "Do you think she likes him?

Amy scrutinised her brother, her grey eyes searching his identical ones.

"You like her don't you?"

He blushed deeply.

"Why Jay?" Amy asked incredulously, "She's horrible! I mean, if that's how she treats her friend…she's so…so rude and bitchy"

Jay nodded slowly, he couldn't deny that.

"I – I know, but she's-" he blushed, if possible, even more deeply.

"You think she's hot, don't you?" Amy asked, horrified.

Jay nodded apologetically.

Amy wrung her hands together nervously. She was worried about Tripp liking his friend, for there was no denying she was very pretty, but she was so mean…surely he couldn't like a girl like her?

-o-

Rose lay fully dressed under the covers of her plush, four poster bed. All the muscles in her body were rigid, and she couldn't seem to make any sense of what had happened that evening. When she tried to puzzle it out, her exhausted, despairing mind simply repeated over and over "I don't know what happened. I don't know what happened".

She felt hot all over and her mouth was dry. She wanted to talk to Tripp, and she wanted never to talk to him again. His last comment had scalded her. It made her prickle with shame and humiliation. To use it against her…he must know. Did he? Could he really know what she felt for him? She had been so careful…

Rose drew a deep shuddering breath, and attempted once again to shut down both her mind and body, to no avail.

-o-

Trip lay fully dressed on top of his covers, his hands behind his head. He felt oddly calm and empty, and yet he knew that if he dared to think over anything too deeply, he wouldn't be able to shut his mind down.

He couldn't help but mull over the evening, however, and started again to feel the boiling annoyance that Rose had arisen in him. He hadn't done anything. What was her problem? It was her idea to come to this stupid place…

He huffed angrily. He wanted to sleep and yet couldn't. He was so physically exhausted from the last couple of nights. He felt his face burn, and his body react, as he remembered the second night on the mountain. He closed his eyes tightly. This was what he wanted to avoid – thinking. He wanted to avoid it because he knew he would not be able to make sense of anything… Rose telling him he would only ever be a brother to her, Rose kissing him desperately in the tent, pulling him closer to her. Rose looking up at him with misty eyes outside the Tarragon Gym, her lips parted as though waiting to be kissed, Rose ignoring him after dinner, snapping at him and the innocent Jay, Rose running to her room, her eyes wide with…hurt?

If his comment had hurt her…that would mean she must like him. It couldn't have been embarrassment, because neither Jay nor Amy could know what had happened between them the previous night... Not in the mood to be overly analytical, Trip rolled over and sighed tiredly. It was probably just her 'time of the month' he thought savagely. That's probably why she's been so crazy the last few days…explains the kissing, he thought darkly. He was stupid to think that he would ever mean more to her than a brother, and perhaps simply someone to take her raging hormones out on. He snorted cynically to himself. "And that Trip, is why you decided that nothing good would come of you trying to be more than friends"

With that, he fell into a deep and largely untroubled sleep.

**AN: Oh dear. Did you think it was all going to work out once they finally got over themselves and kissed? I'm afraid not, and things are only going to become more complicated for these two in the next chapter.**

**I hope you enjoyed it (: please let me hear your thoughts on the way out! It only takes you a second compared to all the hours I spend writing (;**


	12. Chapter 12

Breakfast the following morning was a surreal affair. Amy was particularly happy despite being somewhat tired. She hadn't slept well, unable to stop thinking about Tripp's blue eyes, his tanned, brown arms, and his shiny dark hair which he wore slightly longer than other boys. Amy was not particularly insightful, and took the fact that neither Rose nor Tripp looked at the other to be a positive sign for her. Jay, although somewhat quieter than his sister, was more observant and could not ignore the heavy tension in the air. There was definitely more to Rose and Tripp than indifferent, cold friendship…but what that was, he had no idea.

Tripp had slept fairly well once he had actually managed to fall asleep, and his anger at Rose and her changing moods caused him to ignore her easily. Instead he spent breakfast talking to Amy; Jay he tried to talk to once or twice, but he seemed to be rather awkward about something. Amy, however, was a breath of fresh air after Rose. And not only after the previous night. Tripp couldn't help but feel liberated at the ease of their exchanges. At the moment he never knew exactly where he stood with Rose – their relationship had become very complicated over the last week, and it was refreshing to talk to and laugh with someone new.

Rose had not managed to sleep at all, and it showed. Her face was white and drawn, her usually bright eyes were dull and rimmed with dark circles. Her hair, normally so glossy, was unkempt and slightly frizzy, and her clothes, which she had worn the previous day, were crumpled from where she had lain in them all night. She did not eat but drank cup after cup of black tea, and did not appear to notice anything that was happening at the breakfast table.

Rose's silence made Amy all the more confident. Her reddish-blond hair, although straight and rather limp, was bouncy and clean. She laughed easily and chatted easily – and that was exactly what Tripp had been craving recently. She felt good this morning. She had dressed with deliberate care, and was wearing a slightly too bright, slightly too tight-fitting purple dress. She felt very glamourous and alive compared to Rose, who, although she hated to admit it, had made her feel very self-conscious about her looks the night before.

Jay noticed that Rose seemed incredibly miserable. Although when he thought about it, he decided that she didn't in fact look miserable, she just looked emotionless, and dog-tired too. It was a very quiet breakfast for him. He did not want to intrude upon his sister and Tripp, but he could neither bring himself to talk to Rose, who looked as though she were not quite there.

"Good morning all!" Professor Willow called, hobbling into the dining hall clutching a newspaper and a cup of tea. "I see you're all looking well rested"

Jay noticed that Rose raised her eyes for the first time that morning, to stare at the Professor incredulously.

"In precisely ten minutes, I wish you all to join me in the Grand Lecture Theatre, which you will find in the basement. Enjoy breaking your fast!" Professor Willow hobbled back the way he had come.

"Are you both finished?" Tripp asked Jay and Amy, ignoring Rose. "Shall we go then?" he asked, after they had nodded. As they left the room Jay looked back at Rose who was methodically stirring her fourth cup of black tea.

"Are you coming?" he asked shyly.

Rose cleared her throat and nodded.

"I won't be a minute" she said dismissively. Jay, to her relief, took the hint and followed his sister and Tripp downstairs.

-o-

When the room was finally empty, Rose sighed heavily and rested her weary head in her shaking hands. She was too exhausted to be angry, and too exhausted to be upset. She realised somewhere in the back of her mind that Tripp was flirting with this girl, but she couldn't bring herself to care, particularly. She rose heavily from the table and leaned momentarily against the back of her chair. This was all done without thought, and again, without thought, Rose made her solitary way downstairs towards the Grand Lecture Theatre.

Jay, Amy and Tripp were already seated alongside one another in the front row, Amy between the two boys. Professor Willow followed Rose into the Theatre and gestured that she take the seat next to Jay. She sat down heavily and did not even look his way. Tripp scrutinised Rose as she sat down, three seats away from him, but could make out nothing from her expression. Amy worriedly noticed the way that Tripp was looking at Rose, and immediately engaged him in a whispered conversation, the content of which caused Tripp to laugh out loud.

"Settle down, you two, settle down!" Professor Willow said, taking his papers out of his briefcase and arranging the first slide on the projector. Tripp grinned guiltily at Amy, who flushed red at the attention.

"It has finally come," the little man said dramatically, "the moment you have all been waiting for, I expect"

All four teenagers were silent, all in anticipation, except for Rose who was dully wondering why she hadn't eaten a croissant when she had the chance. Hunger was starting to make itself known to her.

"As you know, my name is Professor Wilfred Willow, and I am one of the world's leading experts on evolution. As you can see I am getting rather old, no matter how sprightly I may appear," he gave a wheezy chuckle.

"Due to my age, there is research that I am not personally able to carry out. My grandson Elliot, who would be very talented had he the sense to realise it, is not interested in research, and rather has become a 'Gym Leader'" Professor Willow sniffed affectedly as though his grandson had opted to become a toilet cleaner. "Therefore, I have selected you four young people in the hope that once you have heard what I have to say, you will be willing to embark on this momentous research project with me" he surveyed them all though his incredibly thick bifocals.

Tripp turned to Amy and Jay with raised eyebrows to signify his displeasure at the prospect of this task. Amy stifled a giggle, but Tripp noticed as he went to recline back in his seat that Rose was sat slightly forward, and for the first time all morning she looked as though she had come to life.

"Please, Professor," she started earnestly, "does your research have anything to do with the Pokémon Eevee? Is this why you gave us one?"

"He gave you an Eevee too?" Amy asked Tripp grabbing his arm in excitement, as though this were an exhilarating coincidence.

"Yes, yes, I gave all four of you an Eevee, in the hope that you too will find this Pokémon fascinating and that you will wish to help me in my research" Professor Willow continued. "Before any of you agree to becoming my assistants, I am going to give you a lecture in basic evolutionary theory. It is only through learning this material that you will be of any use to me"

He handed all four of them a notebook and pen, before launching into his lecture. The complexity of the material meant that Tripp grew bored quickly, and he lounged casually back in his seat. Amy too sat back in a desperate attempt to look comfortable, and spent the next hour hoping that Tripp would place an arm around her shoulder. Jay, who was lost after Professor Willow's opening sentence, rested his head sleepily on the desk before him and let all the organic chemical theories and concepts of elemental forces wash over him like a befuddling lullaby.

Rose, in stark contrast to her peers, was sat bolt upright, her face cupped in one hand, and her pen in the other. Her eyes flitted between Professor Willow and the slides that he presented on the complex theories of the science of evolution. Her pen was scratching continually against the paper. Tripp was aware of her note taking, and shifted slightly so that he could see her over the top of Amy's fluffy red-yellow hair - which was annoyingly close to his face.

Rose looked nothing like she had earlier that morning. There was hard, determined concentration in her eyes, and her lips curved upward in a small smile, content to be learning something new. Tripp blinked, and wondered what he was doing. Here he was pretending to have no interest in the lecture so as to seem 'cool'. He flushed slightly with embarrassment that he would act in such a ridiculous manner. Shifting slightly so that he too was sat upright, he attempted to tune into the lecture. Amy noticed his change in attitude and too adopted a look of intense interest in Professor Willow. Tripp tried not to roll his eyes and picked up his pen. After only a few minutes, Tripp realised that he had no idea what Professor Willow was talking about. He had spent a good hour lounging in his chair before deciding to pay attention, and it was clear that he couldn't simply catch up now. He cleared his throat in annoyance as he again looked over at Rose, who not only was taking very detailed notes, but looked incredibly interested in what the Professor had to say.

"Right," said Professor Willow, taking a large swig of water after almost an hour and a half of solid lecturing, "I hope that that wasn't too much to take in? Please take a ten minute break, after which we will return here to start part two of basic evolutionary theory"

It was strange how his pompous manner all but disappeared when he lectured, Rose thought as she labelled her four pages of hastily written notes. She had great respect for the Professor after hearing about his work and realising the extent of knowledge that he possessed. She finally felt awake despite her sleepless night. Rather than taking a break with the other three, she approached the Professor and began to question him earnestly, much to his delight.

Amy noticed Tripp watching Rose with a strange expression on his face and panicked – she had to take a risk.

"What a nerd" she whispered maliciously, as they left the Grand Lecture Theatre. Jay looked at his sister and shook his head hurriedly.

"What?" Tripp said, wrenching his eyes from Rose, who was gesturing enthusiastically to the Professor.

"I said…I said-" Amy turned white, desperate to cover her tracks before Tripp realised what she had said.

"That lecture – was absurd" Jay inserted tactfully, "I didn't understand a word of it, did you?"

"I don't see how anyone could have!" Amy laughed in relief. She shot her brother a thankful look.

"Yeah…" Tripp tried to smile but couldn't for some reason. He ran his hand through his hair in confusion.

"Shall we get coffee?" Jay suggested.

Tripp nodded and the three of them returned to the dining hall. Amy desperately tried to engage Tripp in conversation, but he sat in silence holding his coffee cup, seemingly unable to hear her. At that moment Rose sprinted up the stairs to her bedroom, ignoring all three sat at the table. A minute later she ran past them back into the Lecture Theatre, clutching something in her hand, her eyes shining with excitement. Amy noticed with anguish that Tripp's eyes followed her the whole time she was in the room.

"Are you two good friends?" she asked, trying desperately to hide her painful curiosity.

"Best friends" Tripp answered automatically, not looking up from his coffee cup.

"Oh, well. You don't talk much for best friends!" she attempted a laugh. "You talk to me much more" she said daringly, ignoring Jay who was warning her with his eyes to stop talking.

"Yeah…" Tripp managed to laugh. "Yeah…You're much less…less complex than Rose is…so it's easier I guess"

Amy looked as though she was sucking on a lemon. She opened her mouth to retort, but Jay put a restraining hand on her arm.

-o-

When they filed back into the Lecture Theatre, Tripp manoeuvred it so that he was sat by Rose. This did not go unnoticed by either Jay or Amy. Rose however, was reading over her notes; a slight frown was on her forehead as she tried to make sense of the more complicated concepts before lecture two began.

Tripp noticed with surprise that on the desk next to her was the Thunderstone that Vulpix had dug up. He wanted to know why she had it, but couldn't bring himself to talk to her for some reason. She seemed different; she was very much alive, buzzing, but he felt completely shut out from her. She still looked exhausted, but her eyes were bright and her full lips moved soundlessly as she read her notes back to herself.

As Professor Willow began the second half of the lecture, Tripp attempted to take notes. Try as he might, however, it made no sense to him and he sat back in his chair angrily, and watched Rose write page after page in her small, neat handwriting.

When the Professor began to talk of Eevee and its numerous evolutions, Tripp began to pay attention once more. There were some parts he didn't understand, such as the chemical makeup of the evolution stones and what it meant to Eevee and why, but other parts he found very interesting. Professor Willow spoke of the sun and moon, and outlined his theory that they contained much of the same elemental makeup as the evolutionary stones. He went onto to talk about evolutionary forces and the chemicals released during evolution, again none of which Tripp could understand, but what he did glean from the lecture was that Eevee could perhaps evolve into more than three types, and this could somehow happen through exploiting the energy of the moon and sun.

The lecture concluded at twelve, and Professor Willow dismissed them until dinner. Rose gathered her notes quickly and raced out of the Lecture Hall before Tripp could so much as say a word to her. He swore angrily under his breath.

Back in her bedroom, Rose lay back on her bed, feeling much better than she had in the last twelve hours. She read her notes back to herself once more. She had great respect for Professor Willow after hearing him lecture, and couldn't wait to start research with him. Tripp – to hell with Tripp, she thought. She didn't have the time or energy to think about him and why he had changed completely in such a short amount of time. Her mind was buzzing with new theories and concepts, and she could almost laugh that she had spent the last week so caught up about some _boy_. His being a bastard had really thrown things into perspective, and Rose couldn't be bothered to deal with him, or that desperate Amy, at this moment in time.

She kicked off her shoes and closed her eyes wearily, pleased that she had some hours to herself. Despite the fact that her mind was buzzing with information it took a surprisingly short amount of time for her to fall into a deep and dreamless sleep.

-o-

Jay and Amy were talking in Amy's bedroom.

"You just need to back off a bit Ames," Jay said knowingly, "I don't know if he likes her or not, but if he does, the worst thing you can do is slag her off"

"But- "

"Just listen," Jay continued, "they've obviously fallen out about something, but if you rub her good points in his face rather than her bad points, he's more likely to get annoyed at her"

"But why?" Amy asked in exasperation.

"Because if you're trying to be annoyed at someone, and somebody else does nothing but sing their praises, it just makes you resent them even more"

"Oh," Amy breathed, her mouth hanging open, "so I need to…"

"Befriend her" Jay said in amusement.

Amy looked at her brother in surprise.

"You really think so?"

Jay nodded. "Yeah I do"

"But…you still like her, right?"

"Yeah I do." He blushed. At Amy's unimpressed glare he attempted to explain himself. "She's so clever and pretty…even though she's pretty rude"

"So that's why like her? Because she's pretty?"

"I don't know!" Jay said, "I just find her attractive, I feel like there's more to her – she's sort of different, like, like she doesn't give a damn…mind you, I bet Tripp finds that attractive, else he wouldn't be friends with her"

Amy snorted.

"So to get Tripp to notice me, I need to be 'different', say good things about his friend, and try and befriend her?!" Jay nodded slowly, and Amy continued, somewhat sulkily:

"I don't see how he'd notice me next to her anyway, when she's in the room she's all he looks at"

"Well," Jay smirked, "she wasn't looking too fresh today, I say you start this all at dinner, get a good impression in before they start talking again"

Amy smiled to herself and looked in the mirror happily. It was true, she did look _much _prettier than that Rose today.

-o-

Alone in his room, Tripp had begun to feel a little remorse towards his best friend, despite the fact that he kept trying to argue with himself that he was in fact justified in his actions.

"Yeah, okay, she was rude to me at dinner…but we had had a weird day prior to that, what with the night before…" he felt himself growing hot with both anger and desire. "she was so rude though, she deserved it…well, maybe not something quite as harsh as that…" he remembered her brown eyes, wide with hurt after he had flung the cold and crude comment at her in front of strangers.

He growled angrily and tugged at his hair as he fell back on his bed. "I don't understand," he groaned to himself, "what's gone wrong?"

They'd argued before, but never like this. They may have sulked, but they'd never deliberately hurt the other.

"I hurt her…she didn't do anything that we haven't done before…and we've both had our fair share of sulking and snapping in the last week…"

Tripp grew hot with shame when he realised he was very much in the wrong. He had been flirting with Amy – he only did it because it made him feel good, but he hadn't thought how it would have made Rose feel.

"But…if she doesn't like me like that, why would it upset her if I flirt with someone else? ...she probably feels cheap…yeah. Probably thinks I jump from one girl to another…" He groaned again as he realised that he had to apologise. He remembered how dishevelled she had looked this morning, how lifeless. His guilt intensified and he decided that after he had showered, he would seek her out.

Twenty minutes later he knocked on her bedroom door, but there was no answer. He knocked again, louder, but still there was nothing. He tentatively opened the door, bracing himself for crying, perhaps shouting and tears – but her room was empty. Tripp closed her door in confusion and made his way back down the East staircase. He frowned to himself as he thought…had he ever even seen Rose cry? At that moment he looked up, startled, as he heard her. She was laughing merrily, somewhere below him.

He raced down the stairs and was about to head into the dining hall when he bumped into Amy, who had an incredibly sour look on her face.

"Where's Rose?" he asked, looking over her head. Her sour look intensified.

"She's talking to my brother" Amy sniffed, before attempting to storm off impressively. When she looked back, Tripp not only wasn't looking at her, he had disappeared. Amy's lower lip trembled and she genuinely stormed off to her bedroom in floods of tears.

Tripp swung the door of the dining hall open to find Jay and Rose sat sharing a bowl of cherries as Rose tried to explain her notes of the morning to him. Before now, Tripp had been all but blind to Jay, but as he registered how he was staring at Rose, his blood began to boil. He made to storm into the room but stopped himself on two accounts. The first was that he had no right to start an argument with Jay because he was 'looking' at Rose. The second reason was Rose herself. She had completely transformed herself from the morning. She was freshly showered and her hair hung heavily to her waist in dark glossy curls. She looked far better for having had something to eat, and she was wearing a knee-length, floaty white dress that contrasted radiantly with her golden skin.

"Can we help you?" she asked indifferently, pulling the stalk off a cherry.

Trip blinked to clear his mind and grunted. "I need to talk to you"

"Well that's a shame," she said looking at him levelly and popping the fruit into her mouth. After she swallowed she said "I don't particularly want to talk to you right now – Jay and I are studying"

She turned away from Tripp and back to Jay, who was looking at her in awe. Tripp left the room and angrily slammed the door behind him. _Stupid bitch_, he thought to himself, _making you look like an idiot…why did I ever think…? As if I need to apologise…don't need people like her in my life…_

Without realising where his feet were taking him, he found himself knocking on Amy's bedroom door.

-o-

Amy wiped her eyes hurriedly and smoothed down her garish dress. She opened the door and gasped as she saw Tripp. He looked furious, but this look turned to confusion when he saw her watery eyes.

"Oh…sorry if I was mean" he said absently, his mind only on how much he hated Rose.

"That's fine, that's fine!" she exclaimed, ecstatic that he apologised to her. "What was the matter?"

Tripp looked over at Amy and realised that he just wanted to talk to someone.

"It's not much," he said huffily, "I've argued with Rose is all, and I don't know why I'm so angry about it" he frowned to himself.

"Oh, well," Amy said with much effort, remembering what Jay had said earlier, "I'm not surprised you're angry, you two must be really close"

Trip thought about Rose's lack of outward affection, how she always closed off her emotions from him, and how he'd never even seen her cry in all the years he'd known her.

"Um…no, not that close" he heard himself saying.

Amy's heart started to beat faster.

"Really?" she said, trying to sound calm, "you seem like you're really close…I thought you were 'together'…her being so pretty and everything…" she trailed off deliberately.

Tripp turned to Amy in shock. He was under the impression she didn't like Rose, but here she was, complimenting a girl who had only ever given her the cold shoulder. A sense of ease and relaxation stole over Tripp as he looked into Amy's wet, grey eyes.

"You're such a nice person," he said, frowning again as though something wasn't quite making sense to him. "You're pretty too…"

Amy gasped, she couldn't believe how right Jay had been, and how quickly it was all happening.

Tripp went on, still frowning, "I don't understand why I don't -" Amy leant over the bed and kissed him on the mouth. She didn't know where she found the guts to do it, but to her shock and relief he kissed her back.

At that moment her bedroom door was kicked open by Jay.

"Hey Amy! Rose and I were wondering if you wanted to –"

Amy and Tripp sprang apart as the door opened, and looked guiltily at Jay and Rose who were gaping at them. Rose snapped her mouth shut and made for her room. They heard the door slam angrily from across the landing.

Tripp could only blink, astounded that so much had happened in less than thirty seconds. He looked at Amy's smudged mascara and lurid dress and felt only a little pity. She was a nice girl. He bit his lip, unsure exactly what he should be doing, and whether or not he was in the wrong.

"I think she might like you," Amy whispered sullenly.

"No…no she doesn't" Tripp said, dazed. Amy and Jay looked at one another, more confused than ever at Tripp and Rose's relationship.

-o-

Back in her bedroom, Rose smiled serenely at herself in the mirror and took long, calming breaths.

"That's it," she whispered to herself, "he's not what you thought. There's no point in pining over something that never existed"

She felt strangely at ease as she considered the events of the last few days. Yes she had liked him, very much so. But the Tripp she liked wouldn't insult her, nor would he flirt so openly and arrogantly and kiss whichever girl wandered across his path. He couldn't actually like Amy, she thought, she was so…obvious.

Rose smiled at herself again in the mirror as she realised that she clearly did not know Tripp and therefore, for all she knew, Amy might be exactly his type.

She sat cross-legged on her bedroom floor and released all six of her Pokémon from their Pokéballs. She hadn't spent enough time with them recently, and she knew she would feel better once she had. They all sat on the carpet and Rose opened a box of Poffins. She spent a pleasant afternoon with her Pokémon, not thinking about Tripp, or Amy or Jay or evolutionary theories. She lay back on the carpet and laughed as Phanpy's long nose tickled her ear.

"As long as I have you guys, I think I'll be all right" she whispered and closed her eyes in considerable contentment.

-o-

Jack came bursting into the cabin, fear and anger evident on his young face.

_I must not cry,_ he told himself, _fifteen year olds don't cry_

Sam stood up from the kitchen table where he was shelling peas.

"What's happened?" he asked, his dark eyes creased with worry. They deepened with anger, however, upon noticing something.

"Where's Farfetch'd?" he asked his youngest brother sharply.

Will looked up warily from the potatoes he was peeling.

"Jack…"

"It wasn't my fault!" the youngest brother cried, "it was all going fine, we had loads and loads of berries, and then she came with her Dragonite and – "

"Who?" Sam stormed furiously. He couldn't believe this had happened. After months and months of pestering he had finally conceded to let Jack gather the berries with their beloved grandfather's old Farfetch'd. If he had lost him…the last part of his grandfather he could keep…

Damien surveyed his three brothers from where he sat plucking a chicken. He wiped his hands on a tea towel and cleared his throat. Standing up, he walked over to his youngest brother. He sat him down and put reassuring hands on the boy's shoulders.

"Just start from the beginning Jack, easy does it"

Will smiled at his older brother's tact. Sam was always likely to lose his temper in such situations, but Damien always managed to get the situation in hand.

"Farfetch'd and I were just gathering berries, like you told us to", his eyes flitted over to Sam nervously, "and it was all going fine, we had tonnes! And then…then there was this really strong wind, out of nowhere…we were in the clearing, by the huge oak tree, you know? And this…woman, with a really long black cape came down riding a _Dragonite_."

He paused to gauge the reaction to his words – he was not disappointed. His three older brother all looked at one another with wide eyes. Nobody had really bothered to visit Azalea Forest for a good few years. In fact, not since their grandfather, Kurt, had died.

"But why?" asked Sam frowning, "Did she try and hurt you or Farfetche'd? Was she poaching?" he asked, eyes narrowing to slits.

"Go on Jack," Damien said calmly.

"No, nothing like that," Jack said, his voice wavering. "she – she seemed really sorry that Farfetch'd got scared and ran away. She offered to help but, well…"

"What?" Will asked, curiously.

"She seemed in a bit of a hurry. She's travelling around Johto see, she's lost her little sister." He held out his hand and they all looked curiously at the roll of paper he was holding. Jack unrolled the paper to reveal a poster with a picture of a young woman on it. The three older boys all gasped.

"Wow," Sam said, his eyes rather wide all of a sudden.

"She's one hell of a looker," Damien said, gazing at the girl's dark green eyes and shimmering lilac hair.

Sam nodded in agreement.

Jack looked at the poster of her, 'Pascalia', and just thought that she looked a little bit mean.

"Well, she's been missing for over three months now," he told his brothers, "and Clair, I think she said her name was, is travelling around on her Dragonite posting these everywhere"

"Clair?" said Will in awe, "as in Clair the Dragon Tamer from Blackthorn? Lance's cousin?"

"And fiancée," said Sam with a wry smile.

"They're engaged?" asked Damien in horror, "but they're…they're -" he seemed too repulsed for words.

"Dragon Tamers have always been a bit weird though, haven't they?" Will asked his two older brothers conversationally.

"Putting this aside," said Sam loudly, his brothers falling silent at his tone, "how are we going to find Farfetch'd?"

Jack looked guiltily into his lap.

"Seriously little bro," said Damien clapping him on the back, "that wasn't your fault – none of us could have prevented that from happening"

Sam grunted.

"Well could you?" Damien asked, his eyebrows raised high.

Sam sighed.

"I'm not saying that I could, but these sorts of things _always_ seem to happen to Jack…"

"Tell me about it" the youngest boy muttered quietly. Even Sam laughed.

-o-

The four were not so inclined to laugh later that evening, however. After searching the forest for hours they had only managed to catch a glimpse of the Pokémon which was still too frightened to come anywhere near them.

Sam sat down with a groan.

"We'll never catch him" Will mumbled.

"We'll just have to try again tomorrow" Damien said optimistically, "let's eat though, I'm starved!"

**AN: A lot of angst in this chapter. As you can see, things are only getting more complicated for Rose and Tripp, neither being entirely sure how they feel about the other. I'd also love to hear your thoughts on Amy and Jay :D We've seen quite a few new characters in this chapter, all of which will be playing bigger parts as the story goes on.**

**Any reviews are much appreciated as always (: lots of love Anka x **


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